


Goosefeather's Judgment

by RookflightandRisingheart



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: AU, Alternate Goosefeather's life story, Full Novel, Written right after Crookedstar's Promise was released
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-11 22:47:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 45,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29500167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RookflightandRisingheart/pseuds/RookflightandRisingheart
Summary: "We take from you your ability to interpret the signs you shall see—we take away your gift as a medicine cat. And the kin or your kin will suffer great hardship, until a daughter of your blood redeems you, by giving up what you could not."All who know the Warriors tales know of Goosefeather. Bluestar's mad uncle, who raved about prophecies, brought about the death of her mother, saw Tigerclaw's future, and prophesied of Bluestar's great and burning destiny. He has gone down in history as crazy, his only achievement being his prophecy to Bluestar.But perhaps there was a reason why? Goosefeather's past is a story yet untold--how he became the cat who saw the signs, that was seemingly abandoned by StarClan. Once, he was a young medicine cat with the world before him--but all that changed, when StarClan pronounced their judgment upon him. This is his story--a story of loyalty and love, loss and heartbreak, and the difficulty to choose what is right.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Goosefeather's Judgment was written years ago, right after the publication of the book Crookedstar's Promise. At the time, it was as faux-canon as I could possibly make it, with what little info about this time period as was available back then. Through great effort and research, I created my own version of a pre-Bluestar's Prophecy setting and characters. Since then, the Erin Hunters have published more books and now there are inconsistencies with the canon. Please keep that in mind as you read my interpretation of Goosefeather's story - as an alternate version of canon, leading to canon events.  
> I originally wrote and posted this book to a different site, but since I'm new to Ao3 and still like this piece of work, I figured I could share it with y'all here too!

**Allegiances**

THUNDERCLAN  
  
  
  
Leader: Branchstar – brown tabby tom with one yellow eye, one green eye.  
  
Deputy: Lightfur – white she-cat with bright amber eyes.  
Apprentice: Larkpaw  
  
Medicine Cat: Gingerpelt – ginger she-cat with darker markings and kind green eyes. Honeypelt's sister.  
  
  
  
Warriors:  
  
  
Leafclaw—ruddy red tabby tom, amber eyes  
Apprentice: Mumblepaw  
  
Yarrowtail – brown tabby tom  
  
Rockpelt – shaggy black and white tom with blue eyes  
  
Bigtail – long-furred brown tom, very large bushy tail  
  
Littlestream – small, pretty white she-cat with a gray face, paws and tail.  
  
Threestep – light brown tabby-and-white she-cat with a twisted hind paw from a fox attack.  
  
Thornfur – dark brown tabby tom with intense golden eyes.  
Apprentice: Weedpaw  
  
Rookflight – brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes  
  
Honeypelt – pale ginger tabby she-cat  
  
Ivystreak—pretty black she-cat with blue eyes.  
  
Mosswing – white she-cat with tortoiseshell markings on her back, green eyes  
  
Hawkstorm – Brown tabby tom.  
  
  
  
Apprentices:  
  
  
Mumblepaw – shaggy-furred brown tom with amber eyes. (father is Yarrowtail , mother is Honeypelt)  
  
Weedpaw – pale orange tom with white flecks and yellow eyes. (brother to Mumblepaw)  
  
Larkpaw – pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes. (father is Bigtail, mother is Mosswing)  
  
  
  
Queens:  
  
  
Sweetbriar (mate is Leafclaw)—tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes  
Kits: Pinekit, Poppykit  
  
Silverheart (mate is Rockpelt)—silver tabby she-cat with black ears and bright yellow eyes  
Kits: Moonkit, Goosekit  
  
Ashstripe (mate is Thornfur) – dark gray tabby she-cat with a silver muzzle  
Kits: Adderkit, Yellowkit, Tawnykit  
  
  
  
Kits:  
  
  
Pinekit – large reddish-brown tom with leaf-green eyes  
  
Poppykit – dark red tabby she-cat with a bushy tail and amber eyes  
  
Adderkit – mottled brown tabby tom with yellow eyes  
  
Yellowkit – pale brown tom with yellow eyes  
  
Tawnykit – light gray tabby tom with mottled stripes, tufted ears and amber eyes  
  
Moonkit – sleek silver she-cat with dark stripes, pale yellow eyes, and a tapering muzzle  
  
Goosekit – small speckled gray tom with pale blue eyes  
  
  
  
Elders:  
  
  
Badgerclaw – black and white tom with long claws. He was a kit when Redstar was leader—he remembers, long ago and vaguely, a fifth Clan in the forest. But not many cats believe him. He mostly sleeps.  
  
  
  
  
  
RIVERCLAN  
  
  
  
Leader: Spottedstar—broad-shouldered white tom flecked with brown, green eyes  
  
Deputy: Hailroar—thick-furred gray tom with light green eyes  
  
Medicine Cat: Dapplestep—dappled smoky tom with black paws, green eyes  
Apprentice: Milkpaw  
  
  
  
Warriors:  
  
  
Duskwater—young dark gray she-cat with a white flash on her chest and tail  
  
Tanglewhisker—young dark tabby tom with tangled fur  
  
Wingrush—slender silver she-cat  
Apprentice: Birdpaw  
  
Thickfoot—thick-limbed tabby tom, blunt muzzle  
Apprentice: Troutpaw  
  
Carptail—ginger she-cat with blue eyes  
  
Minnowthorn—ticked gray tabby tom  
Apprentice: Creekpaw  
  
  
  
Apprentices:  
  
  
Milkpaw—small, cream tom with thick fur and bright yellow eyes  
  
Troutpaw—long-haired gray tabby tom with dark blue eyes  
  
Birdpaw—tabby-and-white she-cat with ginger patches around her muzzle, amber eyes  
  
Creekpaw—big blue tom with a dark gray face and tail, blue eyes  
  
  
  
Queens:  
  
  
Sleekpelt—glossy-furred ginger and brown she-cat  
Kits: Timberkit, Cedarkit  
  
Morningheart—pale ginger and white she-cat  
Kits: Otterkit  
  
  
  
Kits:  
  
  
Timberkit—large brown tom  
  
Cedarkit—brown tabby tom with a short tail  
  
Otterkit—pale ginger and white she-cat  
  
  
  
Elders:  
  
  
Twistedear—gray she-cat with ears that curl back  
  
Rippleflash—dark ginger tabby tom  
  
  
  
  
SHADOWCLAN  
  
  
  
Leader: Ashstar—small gray she-cat with amber eyes  
  
Deputy: Talonclaw—scruffy brown tom with long claws  
  
Medicine Cat: Cloudfall—pale tabby-and-white tom  
Apprentice: Sagewhisker  
  
  
  
Warriors:  
  
  
Lizardfang—light brown tabby tom with one hooked tooth  
  
Longshadow— large black tom  
  
  
  
Apprentices:  
  
  
Sagewhisker—white she-cat with long whiskers  
  
Archpaw—gray tabby tom with black stripes and a thick stripe over his eye  
  
Stonepaw—gray tabby tom with long teeth  
  
Littlepaw—small ginger tabby she-cat  
  
  
  
Queens:  
  
  
Marshpool—dusky dark brown she-cat with black paws  
Kits: Cedarkit, Hollykit  
  
  
  
Kits:  
  
  
Cedarkit—very dark gray tom with a white belly  
  
Hollykit—dark gray and white she-cat  
  
  
  
Elders:  
  
  
Frogtongue—brown tabby tom with green eyes  
  
Amberfern—pale ginger she-cat  
  
  
  
  
  
WINDCLAN  
  
  
  
Leader: Narrowstar—long-limbed, thin ginger tabby tom with white paws  
  
Deputy: Tabbystripe—brown tabby she-cat with green eyes  
  
Medicine Cat: Fernflight—small, spiky-furred tortie-and-white she-cat  
  
  
  
Warriors:  
  
  
Gorsetail—dark gray tabby tom  
  
Featherbreeze—silvery-blue she-cat with a white belly  
  
Whiteberry—small pure-white tom  
  
Stormcloud—thin gray tom with a dark gray back and tail  
Apprentice: Halfpaw  
  
Runningtail—swift pale brown tom with a faintly striped tail  
Apprentice: Heatherpaw  
  
  
  
Apprentices:  
  
  
Halfpaw—black tom with a white muzzle, belly and legs  
  
Heatherpaw—pinkish-gray she-cat with blue eyes  
  
  
  
Queens:  
  
  
Grassfoot—light tabby she-cat with one white paw  
Kits: Dawnkit, Redkit  
  
Eaglecry—dark brown tabby she-cat with hawk-like yellow eyes  
Kits: Hawkkit  
  
  
  
Kits:  
  
  
Dawnkit—pale gold tabby with creamy stripes  
  
Redkit—dark ginger tom  
  
Hawkkit—dark brown tom with yellow eyes  
  
  
  
Elders:  
  
  
Brackenlight—golden dusky she-cat with a long tail


	2. Prologue

Goosefeather looked up past the criss-crossed tree branches to the cloudy sky. The branches looked like thick cracks in the sky. A broken sky, a broken day…the old medicine cat shuddered, turning back into his den. More signs. More omens. Even now…  
  
He walked slowly, stiffly. The ground seemed so open in the elder's den inside the fallen tree. Only two cats made their nests here these days—Stonepelt, and himself. Tawnyspots had passed away a moon ago, tormented in his final days of illness. Larksong was gone too. She had died quietly in her sleep. Goosefeather hadn't mourned like the others had mourned. But inside his heart ached. No one had ever known how much he cared for her—well, almost no one.  
  
"Look at me." He mumbled to himself, padding creakily over to his nest. "Lost in the past again…lost in the signs…lost in my mistakes…seems I can't be anywhere but lost nowadays. Lost, lost, lost, a leaf on the breeze…"  
  
Stonepelt lifted his head and smiled kindly at him. The gray tabby tom was an older cat, but younger than Goosefeather. _Am I really that old?_ He wondered with a twitched whisker. Stonepelt was saying something that sounded soft and gentle, as though he were speaking to a kit. Goosefeather didn't listen. He didn't care. The whole Clan thought he was crazy. _Maybe I am._  
  
He settled down in his nest, looking out into the camp. Runningpaw and little Longpaw were trotting in with their mentors, looking disappointed. Probably a poor hunt. Leaf-bare had arrived swiftly, but it was yet to come to its fiercest. Brindleface was just visible in the nursery from here, probably watching her daughter Sandkit, and beside her laid Brindleface's mother Robinwing. It was strange, that the two of them were in the nursery at the same time. Robinwing's kits had yet to be born, but with how large she was, it couldn't be long.  
  
Goosefeather could already see them, their shadows, waiting there. Little shades of kits yet to come, watching with bright eyes but darkened faces. He shuddered. Why were _those_ two queens in there now? Why? They didn't know, of course. How could they know his secret? How could they know what they were, what they meant to him, what they and their kits would have to face? He shuddered violently. No. No, they could never know.  
  
He turned away from facing the nursery, and instead looked to the Highrock. But what he saw did little to lift his somberness. He could see Bluefur, speaking with Sunstar. He was proud of his niece—he alone knew all her secrets, what she had given up to be deputy now. _Are my kin destined to bear secrets, too?_ He thought. Sunstar was on his last life. Bluefur would be leader soon. He could see her, too, like the shadows of Robinwing's unborn kits. He saw her standing tall and strong on the Highrock, the stars in her gaze. But then a shadow fell on her, a shadow with long claws and fiery ambition…  
  
Goosefeather lifted his head with a start. Tigerclaw had just walked in with Whitestorm and Mousepaw from patrol. He shuddered again, more violently. _He shouldn't have lived. He shouldn't have lived!_ The old gray cat had seen it all. From the moment Tigerclaw had been born, he had seen it. His pelt soaked in blood. Eyes like fire. The screams of cats rending the air. Burning and piles of bones, dog teeth around a cat's throat, blood staining the water, all the horror--! Tigerclaw's path was bloody, far bloodier than his mentor, Thistleclaw's. Thistleclaw had snapped at Bluefur's heels ever since she became deputy, but he would never get the power he sought. Tigerclaw, on the other hand…  
  
 _No. No, it's too late. I can't warn them any more than I have._ He thought, a weary grief settling down on him.  
  
He felt so old.  
  
"At least I made Bluefur the deputy…" He murmured. "One thing I did right."  
  
 _Yes. You did do that right._  
  
He gave a start, turning his head. Stonepelt was still in his nest, snoring softly, but standing beyond him with another cat. A she-cat, with beautiful silver tabby fur and a small smile. "Moonflower." He said, blinking. Then he looked away and grunted irritably. "Come to throw more of StarClan's wrath in my face, sister?"  
  
She tipped her head slightly, padding closer. "No, Goosefeather."  
  
He closed his eyes. "You've never forgiven me." He snapped.  
  
"Yes, I have."  
  
" _StarClan_ has never forgiven me."  
  
She was silent. He took that for assent.  
  
He made a disgusted sound. "As if I care about their judgment. As if I care about their curse…"  
  
Moonflower stepped beside him, and her familiar scent wreathed around him. Stars glimmered in her pelt. "You do care." She said gently. "That is why you tried so hard to guide Bluefur in her destiny."  
  
He looked up at her, and his eyes were hard. "And what good did it do me?" He snarled. "So I saved the Clan. But StarClan didn't take away the curse." He spat the words he knew by heart—words that had haunted his life for more seasons than he could count. " _We take from you your ability to interpret the signs you shall see—we take away your gift as a medicine cat. And the kin of your kin will suffer great hardship, until a daughter of your blood redeems you, by giving up what you could not._ " He looked away. "So I tried so hard with Bluefur. Who has given up more than she? She gave up her love, her kits, and that is more than I. But the curse still holds. The signs still plague me, but I cannot interpret them. My Clan hates me and thinks I am mad. And I can see the death and pain hanging over my kin. I see rushing water and vicious dogs—flames leaping and vengeful eyes of green—trees falling and blood spilling! I see the fates my kin shall suffer because of me!" The words were strangled, as if he were about to weep.  
  
Moonflower's shimmering tail lay gently across his shoulders. Lighter than the sky. Her eyes shone with pity. "Be at peace, Goosefeather. Your kin will suffer for your mistake, but they will also be stronger for it. And someday, a daughter of your blood _will_ redeem you."  
  
And then another cat came to him, a beautiful she-cat with dappled fur. A sob caught in his throat. "Larksong."  
  
She stepped close to him and smiled. "The consequences of your actions shall remain." She said softly to him. "But StarClan has forgiven you."  
  
Tears filled his pale blue eyes. "Truly?"  
  
"Yes." She pressed her starry muzzle to his brow. "It's time to go."  
  
He looked past her, and outside the den, he saw a few white specks come swirling down, dancing on the air. A long sigh escaped his lungs. "The first snow of leaf-bare." He murmured.  
  
"Just as you predicted." Mewed Moonflower.  
  
He looked between them—Moonflower, Larksong. They had meant so much to him. For the first time in a long, long time, Goosefeather smiled. "Then you're right. It's time to go."  
  
He got to his paws. Strength flooded through him. His pelt shimmered. He walked away, Moonflower and Larksong on either side of him, and he looked back. Another Goosefeather lay curled in his nest, his eyes closed. The true Goosefeather looked away, and instead looked before him.  
  
The snow speckled the air and swirled down on shifting breezes. Sandkit bundled out of the nursery to bat at the falling flecks. Bluefur looked up at the sky and shivered, and as Goosefeather walked past her, he thought he saw something flicker in her gaze. Recognition, perhaps? Remembering the prediction he had once made? He saw her turn her head to look back at the elder's den. She got to her paws and rushed over to the den. Goosefeather smiled fondly. "Goodbye, Bluefur. Take good care of ThunderClan."  
  
Then he walked away, fading into the falling snow that turned into stars.


	3. Chapter 3

The world pulsed and moved around him. He wasn't sure when exactly he became aware of it—suddenly, he just was. He got the sense that he was very small, in a world that was very, _very_ big. He squeezed his eyes tighter, pawing about, touching the world that arched and bent over him, that rubbed against his belly, warm and cold and hard and soft. But mostly soft. There was lots and lots of _soft_ here.  
  
Then he became aware of smells. He wrinkled his little nose. The smells were thick all around him, part of the world. A soft smell, a warm smell, a smell that promised comfort and food and all good things. Different smells, too. Musty smells, smells that stung his nose with bitterness, scratchy smells that made him sneeze.  
  
And then something new—something that rang in his head and pressed against the soft fur in his ears. _Sound._ At first it made no sense in his mind—simply soft sounds, louder sounds. A single louder sound distinguished itself. Something in it felt like pleasure. He didn't know yet, but it was laughter. He decided he liked it. He twisted his ears to hear more, somehow knowing that moving his ears like that would help. And then the sounds gained more clarity. Slowly, he started to understand.  
  
"Ha ha ha ha!" Laughed the louder sound. "Look at him, bless his heart. Look at his little brow furrow. He looks so puzzled! Ha ha ha ha!"  
  
"Shhh, Rockpelt." The softer sound said. The softer sound was nice, the little one decided. "You'll scare them."  
  
"Sorry." The louder sound became less loud. "…They're beautiful, Silverheart."  
  
 _Rockpelt. Silverheart._ The sounds had names now.  
  
Silverheart purred. This sound was joy to the little one—he not only heard it, but it rumbled through the air, through the softness he was pressed against, vibrating him. It was a lovely sound. "They are."  
  
"Is there anything else you need, Silverheart?" A third sound. Different than Rockpelt, not as soft and warm as Silverheart.  
  
Movement in the softness—Silverheart was shaking her head. "No, thank you, Gingerpelt."  
  
 _Gingerpelt._ The one called Gingerpelt murmured, "Congratulations, Silverheart." And then a presence left the world. So did the smell that stung his nose with bitterness.  
  
He felt something brush against him—like the softness, only coarser. He knew it was some part of the softness that was Rockpelt. He didn't like it as much, and shrank away. He felt a second softness—a smaller one, nestled close to him. He hadn't noticed it before now. Rockpelt spoke again. "What should we name them?"  
  
 _Names._ The little one knew—he understood. _Silverheart. Rockpelt. Gingerpelt._ All names. He wanted one! His little heart thumped with the desire. He wanted a name. He wanted a sound.  
  
"The little she-kit…I want to name her Moonkit. Her fur shines like the moon. So beautiful." Said Silverheart with a smile in her voice.  
  
 _Moonkit?_ The second softness beside him. She stirred, pushing against him. Her foot met his mouth and he didn't like it. No! It wasn't fair! His brow furrowed deeper. He wanted a name! Not her—he did! He wanted a name! He wanted a sound! It wasn't fair! His indignation and desperation built up in his whole body, trembling through his frame. The coarse softness stroked against him, and he pulled away, disliking it, wanting a name, wanting his place, wanting so badly that his fur stood on end, and suddenly something built up in his chest and moved up his throat and came out in a big—  
  
"NYAKK!"  
  
Not exactly the sound he wanted. But it was a sound, and he exulted in it—at least for a moment. Then Rockpelt laughed, deep and loud. "Ha ha ha ha ha! Did you hear that? Did you hear that, Silverheart?"  
  
"Yes, Rockpelt."  
  
"Little kit just _barked_ at me! Ha ha ha ha! Silly little tyke, honking like goose!"  
  
The little one became aware that they were not pleased with his sound—not in the way he was. His brow furrowed again, and he tried to protest the laughter. Instead of sounding nice, it stung him. He tried to protest, pressing against the softness that was Silverheart, but instead it built up in his chest again. "NYAKK!"  
  
This time Silverheart laughed too, and his pelt burned. "Such a funny little one." She purred. Something more of her softness swept around him, pulling him deeper into her softness. His anger and shame vanished, and he nestled closer, even closer to Moonkit, despite her paw in his side.  
  
"Why don't we name him Goosekit? It would fit with his gray fur, too." Rockpelt suggested. The little one perked up in interest. _A name?_  
  
Silverheart purred again. "Yes…I like it. It suits him. Don't tell anyone we named him that because he honked at us, of course. He'd be so embarrassed when he becomes a warrior."  
  
 _Warrior._ The word spiked through the air and sent a thrill up his spine. _Warrior!_  
  
"I promise I won't tell." Rockpelt chuckled. This time the laughter was a good sound again. "Goosekit it is then. Moonkit and Goosekit. Our little ones."  
  
Something rough pressed against him, rubbing him, and contentment spread through him to the tips of his paws. "Our little ones." Silverheart repeated as she licked them lovingly. "They're destined for great things, Rockpelt."  
  
"Great things indeed." He said with a smile in his voice. "Little warriors of ThunderClan."  
  
 _ThunderClan._ The word flared on the air, hot and bright, pulsing through the little one's heart. _Warriors of ThunderClan!_ The sounds were wonderful, amazing; he felt their power when he savored them against his ears.  
  
Then exhaustion overwhelmed him. The sounds, the big world, it could wait. He pushed into Silverheart's softness and managed a little purr, echoing the purrs that rumbled through him from her. Her tongue rasped his back soothingly. "Sleep well, Moonkit. Sweet dreams, Goosekit." She purred.  
  
 _Goosekit._ To him, it sounded wonderful. He had a name. He had a place in the world that bent and arched all around him. He had a sound.  
  
 _Goosekit._ He was here. _Hello, world._ He thought sleepily, curling tight against his mother. _Hello. I am here now. Goosekit is here._


	4. Chapter 4

"Can I go play outside with Poppykit and Adderkit and the others?" Moonkit asked, pawing at her mother's shoulder.  
  
Silverheart smiled, looking down at her other kit. "Why don't you take Goosekit with you?"  
  
Moonkit threw her brother a disparaging look. "But _Silverheart_ , he doesn't even play the games right."  
  
Goosekit was curled up between Silverheart's paws, his head resting against her leg. He lifted his head and scowled, his brow furrowing as it so often did. "I do try, you know!"  
  
"It's not my fault if you're no good at it." Moonkit sniffed.  
  
Goosekit's face crumpled, and immediately his sister hopped over, hurt. "Oh, Goosekit, I'm sorry." She mewed, nudging his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."  
  
"Yes you did. I'm terrible at your games." He said bitterly, turning his head away.  
  
Moonkit was obviously torn between having fun and being kind to her brother. She looked out towards the entrance. It was a beautiful day—the sun was bright, and she could see Pinekit and Poppykit playing with a ball of moss. The two of them had red fur, like their father, Leafclaw. Their mother Sweetbriar had tortoiseshell fur and bright blue eyes. Goosekit thought she was nice enough—a little pricklier than Silverheart, but not as strict as Ashstripe.  
  
"Be careful," The dark gray tabby queen warned, flicking her tail, as her three kits bounded out to play with Pinekit and Poppykit. She was the mother of Adderkit, Tawnykit and Yellowkit. Adderkit bounded towards Pinekit, bowling over the older tomkit. Even though Pinekit was four moons older than him, Adderkit was almost the same size. Ashstripe was saying he would be the strongest warrior in the Clan someday. Moonkit disagreed with that statement. She disagreed with a lot of things. She was stubborn as a badger.  
  
She watched Pinekit and Adderkit wrestle, nipping each other playfully. Her pelt bristled restlessly. Poppykit was cheering for her brother, while Yellowkit and Tawnykit cheered for theirs. The moss ball was forgotten for this new game. "Grrr! I'm a ShadowClan warrior, I'm going to eat all of you!" Said Adderkit, giggling as he batted at Pinekit's nose.  
  
"The mighty Pinestar will stop you!" Pinekit growled, rolling over and trying to pin Adderkit.  
  
Goosekit watched them wrestle with disinterest. Why did they want to roll around in the dust like that? It looked tiring and pointless. But Moonkit was itching to join in. "I could beat both of them with my eyes closed!" She chirruped to Silverheart. "I'm going to be the best warrior ever!"  
  
Sweetbriar laughed, and Silverheart smiled. His mother looked down at Goosekit. "Goosekit, why don't you go out and play with Moonkit?"  
  
Goosekit was silent. He knew that Silverheart worried about how he wasn't as outgoing as his sister. He liked keeping to himself, mostly. But he nodded. Moonkit whooped happily, licking his cheek, and darted outside. Her silver striped pelt gleamed in the sunlight. Goosekit's pelt was terrible by comparison. It was scruffy and gray, speckled with darker flecks, and he could never seem to get it groomed completely. He clambered over Silverheart's leg—she nudged him helpfully with her muzzle. "Go on." She purred. "You've hardly been out of the nursery since you opened your eyes."  
  
He tried to smile, then bounded awkwardly over to Moonkit on his stubby legs.  
  
Sunshine made dappled shadows on the floor of the camp. Goosekit looked around, still marveling at how _big_ everything was. It had been a quarter-moon since he had first opened his eyes. He had seen his mother, Silverheart, with her lovely silver tabby fur, almost the mirror of her daughter. He looked around for his father Rockpelt. He was very recognizable, with his square jaw and spotted black and white fur. Rockpelt always knew how to make Goosekit laugh. But he knew that Moonkit sometimes wanted their father to be more like Leafclaw or Thornfur, the other fathers of kits in the nursery. Both of them were strong, fierce-heart warriors. Moonkit loved Rockpelt as much as Goosekit, but she wished he were more _warrior_ like.  
  
He toddled over to where the other kits were playing. Moonkit had dove into the play-fighting, declaring she was a RiverClan warrior, and had thoroughly boxed Adderkit's ears. Now the six of them were dividing up into teams to play "battle". Moonkit lifted her tail as straight as a stick behind her head. "I'll be the leader of RiverClan." She said, lifting her chin. "And we'll pretend that me and my warriors are attacking Sunningrocks again!"  
  
"Why do you get to be leader?" Yellowkit asked, frowning.  
  
Moonkit looked down her nose at the small brown tom. "Because I'm the best warrior!"  
  
"Nu-uh!" Adderkit crouched down, sweeping his tail back and forth. "I am!"  
  
"No, I am!"  
  
Goosekit rolled his eyes. "Can't you both be the best warrior?"  
  
The two looked at him, as if noticing him for the first time. Finally Moonkit shrugged. "Okay, fine. Adderkit, you can be ThunderClan's leader. Poppykit and Tawnykit can be RiverClan warriors. And Pinekit and Yellowkit can be ThunderClan warriors."  
  
Goosekit's ears drooped slightly. "What about me?"  
  
Adderkit looked at him and frowned. "I guess you can be a ThunderClan warrior…since ThunderClan always wins, so we can have more warriors."  
  
Tawnykit crouched down, waving his striped gray tail excitedly. "I'm Tawnyslash!" He squeaked. "I'm a scary RiverClan warrior!"  
  
Moonkit shook her head at him. "No, silly, you can't have a name like that. We're the bad guys, remember? You have to have a RiverClan-y name. Like…er…Tawny…" She frowned, thinking hard.  
  
"Tawnysplash?" Goosekit suggested tentatively.  
  
"Sure! You can be Tawnysplash." She smiled at her brother.  
  
"What about me?" Asked Poppykit, eyes round. She was milder than her older brother.  
  
"You can be Poppyfish."  
  
"Ewww!" She mewed, wrinkling her nose. "Poppyfish?"  
  
"It's a _RiverClan_ name!" Moonkit explained. "And I'm Moonstar, leader of RiverClan!"  
  
Adderkit strutted in front of his "warriors", grinning. "Well, I'm Adderstar, leader of ThunderClan. And you guys can be Pine—um—Pinefang, Yellowroar, and—" He paused, appraising Goosekit. Then he pronounced matter-of-factly, "Goosebelly."  
  
Goosekit wasn't pleased with his new warrior name, but he didn't feel like arguing.  
  
"RiverClan, attack! Let's get Sunningrocks!" Moonkit yowled, and she jumped forward. Adderkit and Yellowkit jumped to meet her, jumping on her, growling ferociously. Pinekit and Tawnykit bowled each other over, kicking and pawing, biting and giggling. Goosekit watched, caught off guard, and suddenly Poppykit slammed into him. He hit the ground—hard. "OW!"  
  
Poppykit's face crumpled. "Oh, sorry, Goosekit, did I hurt you?"  
  
He shook his head dizzily. "Er—no—I'm okay." He got up, and tried to jump at Poppykit. She was much bigger than he was—she was several moons older. She let him hit her, but when he tried to swipe her, she easily knocked his paw away. "Here, try to go a little faster." She said kindly, showing him with her paw. "I saw the apprentices do this."  
  
He tried again to hit her, and missed, falling flat on his face. "Ow!" He got to his paws and grimaced. "I don't want to play anymore!"  
  
Adderkit was busy fighting Yellowkit. He threw him off and shrugged. "It's okay. We still have even numbers." He raised his voice. "Come on, ThunderClan, let's beat those mangy fish faces!" Poppykit and Moonkit threw Goosekit an apologetic look, but then they returned in earnest to the "battle".  
  
Goosekit sat back and watched a minute or so more, then shook his head and walked away.


	5. Chapter 5

"Stupid games." He mumbled. "I don't get why they like to do that!"  
  
"They're just pretending to be warriors." A solemn voice startled him out of his thoughts.  
  
The little tom whirled around, looking up. A dark tabby tom looked down at him, blinking somberly. One of his eyes was green—the other was yellow. It gave him a strange, but fierce look. Goosekit hadn't met this cat yet, but the power in his gaze made him shrink against the ground.  
  
The tom blinked slowly, looking at him appraisingly. "…You're Silverheart's son, aren't you? Goosekit?"  
  
He jerked his head in a nod.  
  
"I'm Branchstar."  
  
Ice flooded Goosekit's belly. _Branchstar!_ The Clan leader! The biggest, strongest cat in the Clan! Had he seen him do so poorly in the game? Suddenly he wished the ground would open up beneath him and swallow him. In his panic, he somehow remembered to dip his head respectfully.  
  
The leader looked at him, and then looked past him at the other kits tumbling about.  
  
"Grrr, I got you! I got you!" Moonkit squealed, Poppykit's leg in her mouth.  
  
"Nu-uh!" The dark red she-kit squeaked.  
  
Branchstar blinked his strange eyes, then looked back down at Goosekit. "Why aren't you playing with them?"  
  
 _He didn't see._ The relief poured in, and Goosekit managed to sit up straight. He tried to lift his chin, like a warrior. _But now I have to tell him why!_ He swallowed. "Uh…" He shuffled his paws, looking down at them. "I'm…bored."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"Are you sure that Poppykit wasn't just too tough for you?"  
  
 _He DID see!_ Goosekit hung his head in shame. "I'm not good at those games." He muttered. "I'll never be a good warrior!"  
  
Branchstar frowned. "With that attitude, you're right." Then his eyes softened. "Don't worry. You have ThunderClan blood. You will be a fine warrior." He said it so matter-of-factly, that Goosekit looked up and smiled tentatively. It was as if Branchstar had no doubt he would do well. And if the Clan leader believed it, then _he_ should believe it too!  
  
"Branchstar!"  
  
A yowl suddenly went up through the camp. Branchstar straightened, his hackles raising, and Goosekit flattened against the ground. Even Moonkit and the others stopped playing, staring round-eyed at the entrance.  
  
Then a she-cat with a twisted hind foot bounded into camp, her amber eyes bright. He recalled her name being Threestep. The pale tabby-and-white warrior skidded to a halt before Branchstar, not even noticing Goosekit sitting there. He was petrified, frozen against the ground. He smelled adrenaline and fear on Threestep's pelt, and Branchstar obviously smelled it too. "What's wrong? What's happened?"  
  
The warrior gulped for breath. "It's ShadowClan—on the border! Lightfur, Bigtail, Larkpaw and I ran into a patrol of them—they were way over the border, trying to invade!"  
  
Even in his fright, Goosekit noticed how impressive Branchstar was. The big tom's eyes flashed and he stood tall and strong. He turned to the warrior's den, yowling, "Rockpelt and Yarrowtail, guard the camp in case they break through. Mosswing, Honeypelt, Leafclaw and Mumblepaw, to me! Let's teach those marsh-dwellers what it means to mess with ThunderClan!" In a flash the three warriors were out of the den and at his side, claws already unsheathed. Goosekit watched as they turned and thundered out of the tunnel, Threestep with them. Rockpelt and the tabby warrior Yarrowtail dashed through the tunnel to guard it. Goosekit was so awed by the sight, the sound of their paws drumming the earth as they ran to battle, that he didn't notice Mumblepaw coming up behind him.  
  
Then Mumblepaw's paw cracked against his skull, and the two tumbled over, crying out. "OW!"  
  
Goosekit struggled out from underneath the big brown apprentice. "Ouch!" He squeaked. The apprentice groaned, shaking his head. Then, to Goosekit's dismay, he rounded on him.  
  
"Idiotic kit!" he snarled, amber eyes flashing. "What were you doing in my way?!"  
  
"I—I was just—"  
  
"Foxdung!" Mumblepaw spun away, his pelt bristling. "Stupid mousebrain! I have a battle to fight—stay out of my way!" He got to his paws, stumbling slightly, and then took off through the entrance tunnel, after the battle patrol.  
  
Goosekit rubbed his head and glared after Mumblepaw. It was _Mumblepaw_ who had tripped over him, not the other way around! He didn't need to be so mean! He stuck out his tongue after him, making up his mind to dislike the scruffy brown tom.  
  
"Goosekit!" Suddenly Silverheart's scent was around him and her teeth sunk into his scruff. She hurried back to the nursery, dropping him in their nest beside a wide-eyed Moonkit. Silverheart paced about, obviously agitated. "What were you doing in the middle of camp? Mumblepaw nearly trampled you!"  
  
She turned on him, then saw how shaken he was. Her face softened, and she settled down in the nest with a sigh.  
  
Goosekit immediately curled up, pressing himself against her warm fur, drinking in her comforting scent. "I'm sorry." He mewed. "I was just…"  
  
But Silverheart silenced him with her tongue rasping over his head. He fell silent. Moonkit curled up close to him too, trembling. It was warm and familiar in the nursery, with the soft moss against his pelt, his sister beside him, his mother grooming him. Sunlight winked through gaps in the top of the den, dappling the shadows inside. Ashstripe was curled up near the entrance, diligently keeping Adderkit, Yellowkit and Pinekit from running out to join the battle party. Sweetbriar was grooming Poppykit, who was nestled in her front paws. Tawnykit was curled up beside his mother, his head on his paws. Everyone was subdued and quiet. The battle had taken them by surprise, even though Branchstar had reacted well. Goosekit closed his pale eyes, letting his thoughts drift.  
  
It was Pinekit who broke the silence. "Don't worry." He mewed. "They'll bash those stinky ShadowClan cats and be back before sun-fall."  
  
"Yeah." Adderkit agreed.  
  
The tension in the nursery eased, as if a breath had been released. Goosekit clambered up onto Silverheart's back, and Moonkit scrambled up after him. "I can't wait until _I'm_ big enough to fight in a battle." Moonkit said, lashing her little striped tail. "I'm going to be the best warrior ever. I'll never let ShadowClan invade."  
  
"Me, too!" Yellowkit squeaked. "I want to fight!"  
  
Ashstripe leaned down, grooming her little son's coat. "There'll be plenty of battles to fight when you're bigger, Yellowkit."  
  
Goosekit rested his head on his paws, his brow furrowing in thought. He watched Moonkit slide down and start playing "battle" with Adderkit again. Pinekit watched but didn't join in—he sat near the entrance, giving up his attempts to leave. He turned his head, watching outside the nursery. His brow was furrowed like Goosekit's, but different. The little gray kit knew his friend's thoughts were far from here, on the battlefield, with his father Leafclaw and the other warriors.  
  
He and Poppykit only had a moon left before they became apprentices. They were larger and stronger than the other kits. Pinekit was more than ready to be an apprentice, but he wasn't overeager about it, like Adderkit was. He was itching to be a 'paw, but he would wait for it like a good warrior.  
  
Goosekit heaved a sigh. He didn't understand it—the desire to be a warrior. Sure, he felt the fire, the passion, to be a warrior, like the other kits. Serving his Clan, protecting the ones he loved. _That_ he could understand. But when the others play-fought, he wasn't any good at those games, and he didn't really _enjoy_ playing them either. He wondered, sometimes, if something was wrong with him. _Maybe Branchstar is wrong._ He thought, blowing through his whiskers. _Maybe ThunderClan blood isn't enough._  
  
It wasn't long before the battle patrol returned—but to the tense cats waiting behind at camp, it seemed like a moon. It was Rockpelt who sent up the call—"They're back! They won!"  
  
Nothing Ashstripe could do could keep the kits in the nursery this time. All of them tumbled out, tripping over themselves in their excitement, even Goosekit. For the moment he forgot about his own self doubts and followed the other kits as they mobbed the returning warriors.  
  
Branchstar led the way—blood gleamed on his shoulder and another scratch crossed his muzzle, but he held his head high, smiling proudly. Larkpaw walked in, her eyes wide. Lightfur, the pale-furred deputy, gently nudged her tortoiseshell apprentice towards Gingerpelt's den. Mumblepaw walked close to his denmate, but he looked like a conquering leader, his tail held at a jaunty angle behind his head. The only other ones with injuries were Bigtail, who sported an impressive bite wound on his bushy brown tail, and Mosswing, who was limping slightly. Gingerpelt raced out to meet them, carrying a mouthful of herbs. Pinekit picked his father and the kits bundled onto him, mewing gleefully. True to form, the big ruddy warrior gave a cry of shock, rolling onto his back and letting the kits clamber onto him. "Did you get them? Did you beat those crowfood-eaters?" Squealed Tawnykit, his little tail lashing.  
  
Leafclaw laughed. "We sure did, little ones. Beat them right in the tail and sent them scurrying back to their marshes."  
  
Goosekit grinned. "Yay!"  
  
"That'll teach them!" purred Poppykit.  
  
Adderkit leaped off of Leafclaw and bounded over to Mumblepaw. "I can't wait till I'm an apprentice and I can fight in a battle too!" He said. "What was it like? Was it scary? I bet you weren't scared at all, Mumblepaw!"  
  
Mumblepaw grinned, opening his mouth to reply, but it was Larkpaw who glanced over, a small smile on her face. "Don't believe anything he tells you, Adderkit. He was shaking in his pelt before the battle—he looked as though he was about to shake himself to pieces!"  
  
All the kits bounded over to the two apprentices, giggling while Mumblepaw flushed. "Nu-uh!" He meowed testily. "Did you see me claw that big black warrior? He was twice my size!"  
  
"Only by height." She glanced at his round belly. "Sideways, I think you had him beat."  
  
The kits shrieked with laughter. Goosekit was giggling too. He liked Larkpaw—she was funny, and much nicer than Mumblepaw. Besides, she was making fun of him, and he enjoyed seeing the surly apprentice look so flustered.  
  
Weedpaw trotted over, carrying a mouse. The ginger apprentice's fur was flecked with white and his eyes gleamed. He set the mouse down in front of his brother and Larkpaw. "Here, I got you guys this." He shook his head. "I'm so jealous! I still haven't been in a battle yet."  
  
Larkpaw flicked his shoulder with her tail. "I don't know. You will, eventually, but I wouldn't wish for it too soon."  
  
"Why?" Adderkit stared at her, puzzled. "Battles are _great._ "  
  
"But battles can also be bad." She looked off, her eyes distant. "In the battle today, I had to fight another apprentice. I had met her before at a gathering—Littlepaw. She was awfully sweet. But today we met as enemies. I got her pretty good across the muzzle. She was bleeding a lot."  
  
A somber silence fell for a few moments. Then Tawnykit piped up, "So? You drove her off of our territory. That's good!"  
  
Larkpaw looked at her paws and shrugged slightly. "Yeah, it is. But I couldn't help thinking about how she'd feel, having to recover, be treated by their medicine cat…" She paused, then looked up, a mischievous gleam in her eye. "But we _did_ win. And those ShadowClan cats had it coming, trying to invade! I guess all I'm saying is we shouldn't be _too_ eager to spill blood. Sometimes peace takes more courage than conflict."  
  
The other kits still looked confused, but Goosekit felt he understood. He nodded. The cats that they fought today—did they have kits waiting at home for them, like Leafclaw and Pinekit and Poppykit? Did Littlepaw have friends back home to talk to like Larkpaw?  
  
"Enough talk of such things." Said a light voice. Mosswing trotted up, smiling at Larkpaw, her daughter. They looked very similar—both had pretty dappled fur and green eyes. Larkpaw's tail was long and bushy like Bigtail, her father. "We've just won a battle! It's time to celebrate!"  
  
Larkpaw purred and Mumblepaw beamed. Immediately the kits swarmed the shaggy brown apprentice again, demanding that he show them the moves he had used, describe the warriors he had fought. Larkpaw smiled and joined in, and Honeypelt, a pale ginger she-cat, started pulling out pieces of prey from the fresh-kill pile and tossing them to the other warriors. Branchstar and Lightfur discussed the battle in light-hearted tones, and Pinekit and Moonkit started another battle game, this time pretending to be ShadowClan attacking ThunderClan. And losing, of course. ThunderClan always won.  
  
Only Goosekit remained somber.  
  
He padded a little ways away from the festivities, curling up in a patch of sun. He rolled onto his back, rubbing his shoulders against the dirt, looking up through the light and dappled leaf shadows. The twilight was melting into dusk, and the shadows seemed fluid like drifting mist. The leaves above him were fiery shades of orange or softer tones of brown or yellow. Silverheart said it was called leaf-fall—the leaves didn't always look like this. She said that normally the leaves were even greener than the moss—Goosekit had trouble imagining it. A lot of dead leaves carpeted the camp floor. The kits liked playing with them, batting them about and crunching them underfoot. Goosekit liked to as well. He loved the heady scents of loam and earth that drifted in from outside the camp.  
  
Silverheart told him that leaf-bare wasn't far away, a terrible and hard time, but like green leaves, he couldn't imagine it. Right now, it felt as if things would stay this way forever. Trees garbed in flaming foliage, the smell of moss, the laughter of his friends playing, warriors sharing tongues after a recent victory. He smiled, forgetting Larkpaw's words for the moment. This was a good time. ShadowClan was just a bunch of nameless faces, claws to be beaten back when they tried to take what was ThunderClan's.  
  
The speckled gray tom rolled over again, purring to himself. _I hope Branchstar's right. I hope I can be a good warrior someday, and help ThunderClan._  
  
Gingerpelt went to Branchstar and started tending the wound on his shoulder. Goosekit found himself watching her—intently studying the way she spread the poultice over the wound, evenly sticking it to his fur. He wondered what plants she was using—and how she was using them. Did all of them do something different?  
  
He shook his head. _That's silly. I don't need to learn about herbs and stuff. I want to be a warrior._ He got to his paws, satisfied with the day, and bounded over to his friends. Buoyed by the success of the warriors in driving out ShadowClan, he decided to give play-fighting another go. He smiled shyly at Poppykit, Moonkit and Adderkit. "Can I play as a ThunderClan warrior again?"


	6. Chapter 6

A strange smell permeated through the nursery. It smelled faint and foul. Goosekit thought it smelled a little like a bad mouse Mumblepaw had caught once. Gingerpelt had bristled when he had dropped it on the fresh-kill pile, quickly taking it away and making sure the prey underneath it was clean. "Disease follows bad prey." She had explained to a curious Goosekit.  
  
Of course, Goosekit was used to the smell by now. He reeked of it.  
  
"HARGHK HORCK HAARRCK!" Thick, ragged coughs spouted from his lips, clawing out of his throat. His body shuddered with each cough. From somewhere far away, he thought he heard Silverheart's voice, felt her tongue rasping against his back. But his mind was lost in a fevered haze of pain and confusion. He felt as though his chest were made of stone; each cough was like brittle fangs scraping out of his body. He had been in this state for a few days now—or had it been longer? Maybe it was a moon. Maybe it was _five_ moons. He really hoped that Moonkit wasn't becoming an apprentice without him. He had already seen Poppypaw and Pinepaw become apprentices a moon ago, with Yarrowtail and Bigtail as their mentors. He didn't want to be left behind.  
  
He heard, through the tunnel of his body, another racking bout of coughs. He heard a soft voice murmur, "Shhh, Yellowkit, just try to drink a little water."  
  
He heard a pathetic whimper. As if on a cue, another round of coughs had Goosekit doubled over, feeling as though his body were about to split in half, spew out his mouth. He tasted something bitter on his tongue, and spat weakly, trying to get it out. He heard a sharp gasp. "Ashstripe—Ashstripe, Goosekit's coughing up blood!"  
  
Goosekit thought he scented fear-scent. But he couldn't be sure. Everything was so muddled.  
  
"Is Goosekit going to die?" mewed a very small voice. _Moonkit. So she's not an apprentice now after all…_  
  
Silverheart didn't answer Moonkit. Instead she rasped her tongue across her sick son's back again. "Moonkit, I need you to be very grown-up right now. I need you to go and find Gingerpelt. She should be in her den. Tell her that Goosekit is getting worse, and so are Adderkit and Yellowkit. Can you do that?"  
  
Goosekit was aware as Moonkit's little paws thudded into the ground, running out of the nursery. He shivered violently. He was so cold. Outside it was cold too—a few days ago, something soft and white had fallen from the sky that Silverheart told him was "snow". He had played in it with the others for hours. The morning after, his chest had hurt a little, and it spread into the horrific state he was in now. _Who knew snow was poisonous?_ All his thoughts felt so strange. He felt twisted and pulled and crushed and frozen, and his thoughts were a confusing knot in the middle of it all.  
  
Then something like ice touched his back and he squeaked. Then he smelled a familiar sharp, herby scent, and he realized through the fog that it was Gingerpelt.  
  
Her nose ran along his spine. He felt an exhalation of air against his pelt as the medicine cat sighed. "The coltsfoot I gave him hasn't helped?"  
  
"No. The cough's gotten worse. He's—he's very weak."  
  
Gingerpelt sighed again. Then he felt something pushed under his muzzle. It smelled wonderful, but the bitter tang in his mouth made him feel too sick to taste it.  
  
"Eat it, Goosekit. It's catmint. It'll make you feel better."  
  
 _No. I can't._  
  
"Eat it. Just a little. You have to. Don't you want to be a big, strong warrior?"  
  
Goosekit hesitated. Then he strained his head, feebly chewing at the edge of what felt like leaves. They tasted wonderful, and a heady sensation sent warmth down to the tips of his paws. But he barely had strength to chew. Gingerpelt and Silverheart had to tip his head and stroke his throat gently, prompting him to swallow. It felt like he had swallowed the gorse wall, the soft leaves turning into cruel barbs. He whimpered and shook his head. "Make it stop…" He mewled. "It hurts…"  
  
Gingerpelt picked up some of the leaves and chewed them, then set down the wad of soft wet pulp. "Come, now, little warrior. You must eat it." She finally got him to open his jaws and she fed him a little more of the catmint pulp. When he had consumed a few leaves, she picked up the rest of the bundle and attended to the other kits.  
  
Adderkit looked up blearily from his nest, shaking like a leaf. "I'm okay…" He whispered hoarsely. "T-tell Branchstar I'm fine…I don't want to be held back and not be an apprentice…"  
  
"Shhh." Ashstripe licked her son's head gently. "Shhh, don't strain your voice. You have several moons before you're an apprentice, and you'll be fine by then. Both of you will." But her voice cracked slightly.  
  
Gingerpelt finished with the catmint and straightened. She looked at Silverheart. Goosekit felt her tense. "So what's wrong with them?" The silver queen asked, a little too harshly.  
  
The ginger she-cat slowly shook her head. "They have kittencough."  
  
"Kittencough?"  
  
"It's a lesser strain of greencough. Full grown cats rarely catch it, but it can be deadly to kits."  
  
Silverheart's tail swept protectively around Goosekit—but with his senses in a muddle, the soft fur of her tail felt like thistles, and he yelped. Gingerpelt looked at him, then at Yellowkit and Adderkit. Adderkit was still mumbling about becoming an apprentice. Yellowkit looked worse, his breathing ragged. Another cough racked his little frame. Ashstripe's ears flattened, and she tried to groom him, but he whimpered and wriggled away from her coarse tongue.  
  
Finally Gingerpelt said somberly, "Yellowkit, Adderkit and Goosekit are all too sick to stay in the nursery. If they stay, they'll infect Tawnykit and Moonkit." Goosekit became aware that his sister was sitting close to him. She didn't move at Gingerpelt's words. The ginger tabby medicine cat flicked her tail. "I'll take them into my den and treat them there."  
  
Silverheart's tail tightened around her two kits. "I'll stay with him." Ashstripe nodded, her eyes fierce.  
  
"No." Gingerpelt's mew was firm. "I said adult cats _rarely_ catch it. But you both are susceptible for infection, especially since you are queens. Besides, Tawnykit and Moonkit need you."  
  
"But—but—" Ashstripe sounded desperate.  
  
"I'm sorry, but if they stay here, then it's probable that your other kits, and you, would get sick and die. This is the only way to treat your sons. I will take care of them, I promise."  
  
Ashstripe's face was stony. Silverheart looked devastated, her ears trembling. Then she looked down at her son, his body trembling, his nose hot and dry, mewling weakly before coughing horribly. She saw blood spot his chin. She closed her eyes.  
  
"StarCan willing." She whispered. Then she stood, gently picking up Goosekit by the scruff.  
  
Ashstripe looked at her, her face crumpling. Then she too stood, picking up Yellowkit. Gingerpelt scooped up Adderkit, and the three of them left the nursery.  
  
Moonkit sat close to Tawnykit, shivering. She looked at her denmate, eyes wide and stinging with tears. "Are they going to die?"  
  
Tawnykit blinked. "I don't know." He shuddered, his striped ears drooping low.  
  
Goosekit, Yellowkit and Adderkit were each set in a small nest near the back of Gingerpelt's den, where the cold wind couldn't reach. Unfortunately, it was also darkest, but light enough for Gingerpelt to work. Goosekit was vaguely aware of things as he was carried inside and set in his new nest. The medicine cat den was in a cleft in a rock. This was his first time coming here—he hadn't been allowed to explore it when he saw the rest of the camp. The air smelled sharp and herby, like Gingerpelt, but he liked the smell. Clumps of herbs and piles of seeds and roots were stacked in every available surface except the bare sandy floor. The nest he was in had unusually soft moss lining it, which felt like gorse against his fevered cheek.  
  
The next quarter moon passed as if in a dream. He would awaken to Gingerpelt having him eat a little mouse or more catmint pulp, or to lap from a piece of moss soaked in frigid water. He would hear Adderkit or Yellowkit coughing, shuddering and shaking in their own nearby nests. His own body continued to be a lump of stone, the coughs clawing their way out, leaving blood on his lips or on the edges of the nest. When that happened, Gingerpelt would patiently change the bedding. Then Goosekit would slip back into a halfway state, not quite awake or asleep, but drifting. He hurt too much to truly sleep. He felt weary all the time, but the pain in his wracked body was always there.  
  
Moonkit wasn't allowed to visit him. Silverheart and Rockpelt came once or twice, but never long. But he didn't feel lonely. When he was more awake and lucid, when Gingerpelt was trying to get him to eat or drink, she would tell him about things. Interesting things. Like how burdock root was good for infection, and coltsfoot for coughs. A goldenrod poultice was best for open wounds. Catmint was the only cure for the severe cough diseases, like greencough, blackcough, whitecough and kittencough, like he had. It was all very fascinating things, and it helped take his mind off the pain. Neither Adderkit nor Yellowkit expressed much interest in it, though, and so Gingerpelt would tell them stories of old battles and past leaders. Some Goosekit would remember. Others he would forget as he drifted away again.  
  
The small speckled tom awoke one chill afternoon to coughs. That wasn't too unusual. But something sounded strange. He stretched a little. The stone in his chest felt a little bit lighter. He lifted his head, trembling with the effort, and looked over at the other two nests. Adderkit was doubled up, coughing violently—that was what had woken him up. Then he realized what was strange.  
  
Yellowkit wasn't coughing.  
  
He lifted his head a little more. Yellowkit was curled up in his nest. His side wasn't moving. "Yellowkit?" He mewed hoarsely. Straining, shaking with exertion, he somehow managed to stand up, pull himself out of the nest, and stumble over to his denmate. "Yellowkit?"  
  
He looked down at his friend. The pale brown tomkit wasn't moving at all. His eyes were closed. Goosekit turned around, stumbling, following his nose towards the rock shelf where the catmint was. He recognized the scent, and the look of the plant. His body seemed to be moving a few steps ahead of his brain—he watched himself tear off a leaf, staggering back over to Yellowkit and putting it in front of his nose. "Yellowkit?" He rasped again. "Yellowkit, you gotta eat it. You gotta get better." His denmate's eyes were closed. He pushed at Yellowkit's muzzle, trying to waken him, to get him to eat the herb. "Yellowkit. Yellowkit."  
  
Then Gingerpelt was looming over him. Her teeth sank into his scruff. Adderkit was looking up now through hazy eyes. Goosekit was too weak to resist as Gingerpelt gently put him back in his nest. "Gingerpelt—" he mumbled. "Gingerpelt—Yellowkit, he needs help…"  
  
"Yellowkit?" Adderkit mewed, his eyes widening.  
  
The ginger she-cat stepped over and nosed over Yellowkit. Her face already looked so terribly sad, but now the rest of her followed. Her ears drooped and her tail drifted to the floor like a falling leaf. "Yellowkit?" mewed Adderkit, coughing. "Y-Yellowkit?"  
  
"Yellowkit?" mumbled Goosekit.  
  
Gingerpelt looked up at them, then padded over to them. She did a very strange thing. In an almost motherly gesture, she leaned down, nuzzling their cheeks, each in turn. Then she murmured softly, "I'm sorry, little ones, but Yellowkit hunts with StarClan now."  
  
Goosekit looked over at Yellowkit. Already the little pale kit was fading away—or was it him? Everything grew misty. "Yellowkit…?" He murmured, his voice trailing off.  
  
Then Goosekit drifted.  
  
When next he woke, Yellowkit's nest was empty. Adderkit was asleep. And beyond the sound of the cold wind, he could hear Ashstripe crying.


	7. Chapter 7

Goosekit and Adderkit did not follow in Yellowkit's pawsteps. They began to recover, slowly. Day by day their chests loosened, the coughs didn't come as frequently, as harshly. After another quarter moon, Adderkit was well again and had returned to the nursery. He had told Goosekit, secretly, that he wasn't too excited about it. "It won't be the same." He murmured. "Not without Yellowkit there."  
  
But he had moved back in with his mother. Silverheart still tried to visit, frightened that Goosekit wouldn't make it. But he was getting better. "Adderkit was always a hardier kit." Gingerpelt had assured Silverheart kindly. "Goosekit's taking a little longer to recover, but he'll be just fine."  
  
The comment about Adderkit being "hardier" would have bothered him if it had come from anyone else. But Goosekit was growing to like the medicine cat a lot. As he got stronger, in order to keep him occupied, Gingerpelt let him play little games with the herbs. Things like matching games, or memorizing games. Goosekit enjoyed it immensely. He found he had a knack for memorizing things and retaining them. He could tell the difference between a strand of nettle and a strand of jewel weed with just a glance, and he rattled off things that he had heard Gingerpelt mutter while treating other sick cats. She praised his mind and he exulted in it. For so long he had been the oddball, weaker, not as good at playing as the other kits. But in Gingerpelt's sharp-smelling den, he was good at things. Gingerpelt let him help her sort herbs into their proper places, and even let him watch when she treated patients. He always watched intently, stock-still, not wanting to disturb her. Gingerpelt seemed to truly admire him and appreciate his help. And each day he got stronger, his coughs hurt less, and before long they stopped entirely.  
  
One day while he was watching Gingerpelt put dried poppy heads on a rocky shelf, she looked at him and smiled. "You know, Goosekit, you're almost better. You'll be able to go back to the nursery soon."  
  
Goosekit got to his paws, pale eyes shining. "Really?" He thought of being able to sleep in his nest, curled beside Silverheart and Moonkit. But then he thought— _No more matching games. No more herbs. No more listening to all the interesting things that Gingerpelt talks about. I'd be weaker and awkward again._ His ears drooped slightly, but he tried to meow brightly, "That's great."  
  
Gingerpelt slid the last poppy head onto the shelf and sat back, licking her paw and rubbing her nose with it. Goosekit's ears pricked eagerly—he had learned that she had a habit of doing that when she was thinking hard, usually about to say something to him. Something interesting and great!  
  
Finally she looked back down at him and mewed, "Could you go get me some horsetail?"  
  
His tail thudded against the floor in disappointment. But he nodded, turning around and walking along the row of shelves, sniffing, peering intently at the rocks and herbs. He had to stop and rest for a second, still not used to so much walking around. Then he found the place where the long bristly stalks were, carefully pulling one out with his teeth. Then he dragged it back over to Gingerpelt.  
  
She nodded. "Thanks. Do you remember what they're for?"  
  
"The leaves are for infected wounds." He paused, cocking his head, his brow furrowing. "But Gingerpelt, Bigtail's the only one with a wound, and it's just from a thorn. It's not infected."  
  
She nodded again, an odd look in her eye. She picked up the horsetail and set it on an empty spot. Then she licked her paw again. "Goosekit," She said, looking down at him, "Do you want to be a warrior?"  
  
"Of course!" He said. But he looked at his paws. _But I'm no good at it. I don't like playing the battle games._  
  
As if reading his thoughts, she mewed, "You don't seem to like play-fighting like the other kits. But they're trying to be warriors as fast as possible by playing that way. Why don't you?"  
  
Through the near moon he had spent in Gingerpelt's den, Goosekit now felt he could be honest with her as he could with no one else. She seemed to see through his pelt, into _him_ , see all the things he didn't dare admit. "They're not fun. And I'm no good at games."  
  
A smile twitched her whisker. "You like playing games with me."  
  
"Well, those are different! I still want to be a warrior. I have ThunderClan blood—Branchstar said I'll be a great warrior. I want to serve my Clan, like everyone else."  
  
"There are other ways to serve your Clan."  
  
At first he didn't understand what she was saying. Her green eyes looked intently at his face. Then he realized, and his own eyes widened. "Wait—you mean be a medicine cat?"  
  
She nodded. "I know you still have many moons before you become an apprentice. But you have a special gift, Goosekit. You already know your way around this den as well as I do. You have an incredible mind for one so young. And you seem to enjoy helping me with my duties."  
  
It had never occurred to him to be anything other than a warrior. He had always seen himself charging into battle beside Moonkit and Adderkit. But now he saw a different picture—him in the medicine cat den, soothing wounds, knowing so much, helping his Clan through healing them. He found the idea very appealing. He would never have to fight, and he could be good at what he did. Slowly, he nodded. "I think…I think I'd like that."  
  
Gingerpelt smiled. "Of course, you can't officially begin training until you're an apprentice. And give it some real thought. But you have a rare gift, Goosekit, and I would joy to see it be used."  
  
Goosekit felt filled up to the brim with sunshine. He felt as though he were seeing for the first time, all over again. Gently Gingerpelt swatted his rump with her tail. "Now, you're right about Bigtail's paw. Why don't you go get me some goldenrod for it? Tomorrow you can go back to the nursery, but I'll enjoy your help for one more day."  
  
He nodded enthusiastically, darting over to the shelves. _I am going to be a medicine cat!_


	8. Chapter 8

The other kits weren't as enthusiastic about his decision.  
  
"You want to be a medicine cat?" Moonkit meowed in disbelief. She sank her claws into the moss ball she had been batting around with Tawnykit. The mottled tabby stared at him too, and Adderkit wrinkled his nose.  
  
Goosekit shuffled his paws. Ashstripe was out, and Silverheart was drowsing near the entrance of the nursery. The little gray tom looked up, flicking his tail. "Yeah, I do."  
  
"But," Adderkit stepped forward, ears flat in confusion, "You can't be a warrior if you're a medicine cat!"  
  
"You won't be able to fight!" mewed Tawnykit.  
  
"You'll be stuck in that stinky medicine cat den all the time! You'll start smelling like Gingerpelt!"  
  
Goosekit looked up and glared. "So what? I like it in there. I want to be one. So—so buzz off about it!"  
  
Adderkit made a disgusted sound and looked away. Tawnykit shrugged. Moonkit grimaced, but said nothing. Scowling, Goosekit turned and walked out of the nursery. _Who cares if they don't understand?_ He'd go talk to Gingerpelt…maybe she'd teach him some new stuff.  
  
Soft snow powdered the ground. It wasn't very deep, but Goosekit still had to hop through it. He shivered as a chill breeze cut through his pelt. He missed leaf-fall, with its colorful trees, dead leaves to play with, and mild days. And they had plenty to eat then! ThunderClan was getting by these days, and Silverheart still had plenty of milk, but most of the warriors were looking pretty thin.  
  
"Goosekit!"  
  
He turned, startled out of his thoughts. Moonkit bounded out to him, sinking up to her knees in the snow. "Look," she said, ears drooped, "I'm sorry about what I was saying in there. If you want to be a medicine cat, then that's okay." She paused, trying to smile. "It's just that I always saw us being warriors together."  
  
Goosekit stared at her, stunned by her apology. Then he smiled. "Hey, it's okay. We can still be friends—I'll just be in a different den." He touched her cheek with his tail. "We'll always be littermates."  
  
"Yeah." She purred.  
  
He hesitated. Then, suddenly, he scooped up a pawful of snow and splashed it into Moonkit's face. "Ha ha! Got you!"  
  
She spluttered, then giggled and hurled snow at him back. He snorted, pawing at the ice crystals now covering his nose. Immediately a swift and ferocious snow battle ensued, which Moonkit won, of course.  
  
Goosekit pulled his head out of the snow, panting, smiling. "Okay, okay! You win!"  
  
Moonkit beamed proudly. "You bet I won! I'm the one being a warrior, right?"  
  
He stuck out his tongue at her. "Keep that up, and I'll make you eat stinky herbs all day when I'm a medicine cat!"  
  
They giggled and bounded through the snow. Goosekit felt…freed, by his decision. He had never had this much fun with Moonkit. It was because he wasn't trying to prove himself anymore. _I'm going to be a medicine cat. I'll do what I'm good at. So I can just have fun, even if I'm not good at the games._ He thought happily.  
  
Pretty soon Adderkit and Tawnykit joined them, even though Adderkit still thought Goosekit was being dumb to not want to be a warrior. They romped through the piling drifts as snow started to come down, speckling the air in swirling waves. Goosekit leaped and clapped his paws around a snowflake, then smacked into the ground and rolled clumsily. Moonkit laughed, but he chucked more snow at her.  
  
Gingerpelt watched them play from the medicine cat den. She smiled, shaking her head slightly. "Ah, to be a kit again." She purred.


	9. Chapter 9

The sound of voices echoed over the ThunderClan territory, even though the air was brittle with frost and wind. It was a time of great honor for three cats in the Clan—for they had earned their warrior names.  
  
"Mumblefoot! Weedwhisker! Larksong!"  
  
The names carried high on the bitter wind. Even though it was icy cold out that evening, most of the cats had gathered beneath the Highrock anyway to celebrate the apprentices becoming warriors. Goosekit listened from the nursery—kits weren't allowed to come to the meetings. He scowled, folding his paws and resting his chin on them.  
  
He could just imagine how Mumblepaw looked right now—sorry, Mumble _foot_. What a fitting name for the clumsy tom. He would have his chest puffed out and his scraggly fur fluffed up, grinning as though he was becoming Clan leader. Goosekit's scowl deepened. He disliked the mean-spirited tom. He was rarely nice, and especially not to kits. _I pity his kits someday_. He thought, then grinned. _That is, if he can ever get a she-cat to like him._  
  
But then he thought of Larksong. The pretty tortoiseshell was probably sitting beside him now, head held high, exulting in her new name and the honor it meant. Goosekit was observant, for a kit, and he knew lots of things about all the cats in the Clan, things they probably didn't realize that a kit would notice. Things like how Yarrowtail disliked sparrows, or how Lightfur got up at dawn every morning to watch the sun rise. He also noticed how much Mumblefoot liked Larksong. _Liked_ liked.  
  
It was obvious. He went hunting with her, they trained together, shared prey together. He acted like Rockpelt to Silverheart around her. He was all smiles and laughter when Larksong was around, which was fine with Goosekit. He preferred him that way. But Larksong didn't seem to return his affection. Goosekit got the feeling that he was just her friend. For some reason, he liked that too. _Larksong's too nice to be mates with a jerk like him_. The thought gave him great satisfaction.  
  
"Mumblefoot! Weedwhisker! Larksong!"  
  
And what about Mumblefoot's brother Weedwhisker? He was nicer than his brother. A little stiff, though. He must be just as pleased to get his warrior name.  
  
Goosekit pricked his ears. Moonkit was sitting on Silverheart's back, staring eagerly out of the den at the gathered cats. "That's going to be me, soon!" She chirped. "That's going to be me!"  
  
Silverheart purred, pulling her down into her folded front paws. "Yes, and you'll be the best warrior."  
  
"Hey!" Goosekit frowned.  
  
"And the best medicine cat." She purred, licking Goosekit's ear. "I'm very proud of you for making such a grown-up decision, Goosekit." She hesitated, then mewed, "Are you sure it's what you want?"  
  
The little gray tom's brow furrowed, then he nodded. "I still don't have to decide, until I become an apprentice. But I want to be a medicine cat, more than anything. I want to know stuff, all sorts of useful stuff, and help cats get better!" He flicked his tail excitedly, and Silverheart laughed again.  
  
Pretty soon the ceremony ended, and cats drifted off to their duties again. Rockpelt padded over to the nursery carrying a shrew, his playful blue eyes shining. "How're the two best kits in ThunderClan?" He purred, dropping the shrew in front of Silverheart.  
  
Moonkit slid down Silverheart's back and bounded up to her father. "Hi, Rockpelt!" She chirruped. "Want to see a move that Poppypaw taught me?" She sank down onto her belly, tail lashing, and then sprang, batting at his whiskers. He chortled loudly, batting gently at her ear.  
  
"You'll be a great warrior someday, with moves like that!" He rolled onto his back and Moonkit leaped onto his belly, giggling in delight. He roared like a wounded badger, crying, "Oh, no, the terrifying Moonkit has got me! She's got me!"  
  
Goosekit jumped over, eyes bright, and cried, "I want to play too!"  
  
Rockpelt laughed, scooping up Goosekit with a big spotted paw. "Grr, now I've got you! Moonkit, I'm taking your brother hostage!"  
  
"Not if I can help it!"  
  
The kits giggled and squealed as they played with their father. Silverheart watched, smiling happily, purring with laughter whenever Moonkit or Goosekit grabbed his ear or tail. They jumped on him and batted at him, valiantly fighting the "badger".  
  
They played until Lightfur came over and told Rockpelt that he was needed for the dusk patrol. He licked his kits affectionately and then padded after the deputy. Goosekit watched him walk off, smiling. "Aw…" mewed Moonkit, her ears drooping. "I was hoping he could play with us a little more."  
  
"We'll play more later." Goosekit said. He stood up, tail held straight up. "Now we can go see the new warriors!"  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
They bounded over, Silverheart warning them not to get underpaw. Larksong, Mumblefoot and Weedwhisker were chatting with Rookflight and Yarrowtail. Rookflight was talking to Larksong. Yarrowtail looked at Mumblefoot and Weedwhisker, puffing out his tabby chest. "You've made Honeypelt and me very proud." He rumbled with a smile. "You'll be the best warriors."  
  
Mumblefoot nodded, smiling. "Thanks, Yarrowtail." Weedwhisker echoed him, his eyes shining. Yarrowtail and Honeypelt were their parents. Suddenly it occurred to Goosekit—what would it be like, when he and Moonkit became apprentices? Would they be able to play with Rockpelt or spend time with Silverheart anymore?  
  
"So, how does it feel to be a warrior?" Rookflight asked. The dark tabby she-cat smiled, licking a cream paw.  
  
"Not too different." Said Larksong with a chuckle. "Really, it feels like yesterday that I was just a kit. But I want to serve my Clan the best I can."  
  
Goosekit bounded up to her, Moonkit right beside him. "Congratulations, Lark _song!"_ He chirped.  
  
"Now that you're a warrior, will you still show us battle moves?" Moonkit said hopefully.  
  
Larksong looked down at them and laughed good-naturedly. "If I have time. Branchstar's going to have Mumblefoot, Weedwhisker and I working our fur off now that we're warriors."  
  
Weedwhisker lifted his chin with a grin. "But we can handle it. We're ThunderClan warriors now, and ThunderClan is the _best."_  
  
"Yeah!" said Moonkit. "I can't wait until I'm a ThunderClan warrior!"  
  
Goosekit smiled too. He looked at Mumblefoot, lifting his head to meet the warrior's gaze. Mumblefoot curled his lip in a look of distaste. "And what about you?" He asked the little gray kit. "Excited to be a warrior?"  
  
He opened his mouth to reply, but Moonkit butted in, "He wants to be a medicine cat instead."  
  
A look of delight flashed in Mumblefoot's eyes, and Goosekit's hackles raised. "A _medicine cat_? Ho ho, let me know when that happens. I'll steer clear of the medicine cat's den. With him in it, it'll be a disaster area!"  
  
Goosekit sprang to his paws, snapping hotly, "Oh yeah? Well, I hope the Clan doesn't rely on you too much to be fed. Unless you happen to trip and squash the mice to death."  
  
Mumblefoot went rigid. His clumsiness was a sore spot for him, and Goosekit got a delicious satisfaction from rubbing his fur the wrong way. Then the brown tom was standing, looming over Goosekit, and snarling, " _Listen,_ you little toad, I'll—"  
  
"Enough of this!" Yarrowtail stepped between them. Weedwhisker's tail shot out, blocking his brother from moving forward. Yarrowtail looked at both of them, his face stony. "Mumblefoot, this is no way for a warrior to behave." He said finally, looking at his son. "You ought to be ashamed."  
  
Mumblefoot's fur lay down, and he looked at his paws. "Yes, Yarrowtail." He grumbled.  
  
Rookflight nodded approvingly at Yarrowtail, then looked down at Goosekit. "And as for you, Goosekit," she said sternly. "You need to show some respect to a warrior."  
  
He looked at his paws, but said nothing. The fur along his spine was still on end in anger.  
  
Larksong looked at them, and finally stepped over to Goosekit. "Come on, Goosekit, say you're sorry." She said gently.  
  
He looked up at her, blinked, and then nodded grudgingly. "Sorry." He muttered.  
  
"Good." Yarrowtail blinked. "This is no way for Clanmates to act. You can both shred some enemies someday, rather than each other." He looked at Goosekit and glared again. "And you can bet I'll tell Silverheart how you've been acting, young kit."  
  
As he walked away and the others drifted off, Mumblefoot walking close beside Larksong, Goosekit's pelt burned. Moonkit laid her tail across his shoulders, smiling sympathetically. "Don't let Mumblefoot get you so worked up." She mewed. "He's just a mousebrain."  
  
He looked at her, scowling. "I know." But he was still angry.  
  
 _I'll show him. I don't need to be all big and strong to earn respect. I'll be the greatest medicine cat ever. I'll show him._  
  
That night, as Moonkit and Silverheart slept and the moon rose high over the camp, Goosekit at alone near the entrance of the nursery. He watched the shadowy outlines of Mumblefoot, Larksong, and Weedwhisker, taking their vigil as new warriors. Then he looked up at the swath of stars that lay glittering across the sky.

 _Soon,_ they seemed to say. _Soon, Goosekit, you'll be an apprentice. And then the stars themselves will be opened to you._


	10. Chapter 10

"Goosepaw! Moonpaw! Goosepaw! Moonpaw!"  
  
Goosepaw purred, loving the sound of his new name rolling on the air. He looked up at Branchstar, standing strong on the Highrock, and then he looked over at his sister. She lifted her chin, beaming, with Lightfur sitting close behind her. It was a great honor to have the Clan deputy as mentor, and Moonpaw was thrilled. Goosepaw smiled, looking to his left at his own mentor.  
  
Gingerpelt smiled back at him, her green eyes shining.  
  
Moonpaw's ceremony had come first, and then Gingerpelt had stepped forward and formally requested Goosepaw as her apprentice. Branchstar had already spoken with her, and with him, and Goosepaw had accepted immediately. He was thrilled to finally be out the nursery and start his medicine cat training. A moon ago Tawnypaw and Adderpaw had started their training, with their mentors Mosswing and Hawkstorm. It had been so boring and lonely in the nursery without them—the only other queen was Threestep, and she hadn't even had her kits yet. They would be Branchstar's kits. Now, without Goosepaw and his sister, the nursery was practically empty. But with how large Threestep was getting, the kits were due any day now. The tabby-and-white queen cheered the new apprentices from the nursery with the rest of the Clan. Perhaps she was thinking of her own kits, of the day when they would become apprentices.  
  
Silverheart came up to Goosepaw and Moonpaw, licking their ears with joy. "I'm so proud of you two." She purred. "You'll train hard, and be well behaved for your mentors, right?"  
  
Goosepaw opened his mouth to reply, but then Rockpelt's paw cuffed him gently on the side of the head. "Aw, don't mother them too much, Silverheart." The big black-and-white tom chuckled. "They need to have some dignity, being apprentices and all now!"  
  
Moonpaw laughed. She gave her chest a few licks, smoothing down the soft silver fur. "I'll train really hard, Rockpelt." She purred. "I promise!"  
  
"I certainly hope so." Lightfur stepped forward, her white fur gleaming in the sunlight. It was a beautiful new-leaf day, clean and bright. "I'm a pretty harsh mentor—ask Larksong." She smiled, her eyes twinkling with humor.  
  
Larksong padded up to them and nodded. "Yes, she'll work you ragged, Moonpaw. You'd better watch out."  
  
Moonpaw lifted her chin and meowed stoically, "I'll handle anything you throw at me, Lightfur!"  
  
Tawnypaw, Adderpaw, Poppypaw and Pinepaw finally managed to push through the crush of cats, grinning. Poppypaw nudged Moonpaw's head, purring. "Finally, you two are apprentices! It'll be just like old times in the nursery."  
  
"Just with more work and less playing." Tawnypaw mewed. He stretched and yawned. "I'm exhausted—I only just got back from dawn patrol with Mosswing."  
  
"At least you got to go on patrol." Said Adderpaw. "Hawkstorm had me out gathering _moss_."  
  
Moonpaw poked him. "Aw, come on, being an apprentice isn't _that_ bad, is it?"  
  
The brown tabby tom grinned. "It _is_ pretty great. Hawkstorm's been doing some battle training with me lately. He's such a cool warrior! He taught me this one where you jump on your opponent and sink your claws in their scruff, then roll them onto the ground so you're on top of them. Then you strike—wham-o!" He demonstrated with an energetic swipe of his paw.  
  
"Now, now," said Lightfur, "Battle training can wait." Moonpaw's ears drooped in disappointment. Then Lightfur said with a smile, "Instead, we'll do the sun-high patrol, Moonpaw. You can get to know your territory." She looked at the other apprentices. "Poppypaw, you can come too. Go find Yarrowtail." She flicked her tail to Moonpaw, getting to her paws. Moonpaw sprang up as well. "Come along, then. I need to organize the rest of the patrols." She padded off with the young silver apprentice bounding eagerly behind her. Goosepaw watched her go, a little envious that she would be able to see the whole territory.  
  
Gingerpelt padded up and sat down beside Goosepaw. "I expect you to train hard too." She mewed to him. "I know you've learned a lot already, but there's always more to learn."  
  
He nodded solemnly to her, his envy fading in favor of excitement. "I'll pay attention to everything, Gingerpelt."  
  
Slowly the rest of the Clan drifted off. Silverheart licked his ear again and then went off to join the hunting patrol with Rockpelt and Larksong. Gingerpelt watched them for a moment, then looked back at Goosepaw. "Well, are you ready to start your training?"  
  
He nodded eagerly, and she smiled. "Alright, come with me. There's a very important duty that needs to be done, and I'd like your help doing it."  
  
Goosepaw puffed out his thin gray chest proudly. "Okay, Gingerpelt!"  
  
She padded into the medicine cat's den, Goosepaw following. He looked around, remembering fondly the moon he had spent here after his bout with kitten-cough. _Now I don't need to be sick to be here_. He saw with pleasure that Gingerpelt had already made a nest for him near the back. She padded over to the rocky shelves of herbs, flicking her tail to him. She pulled down a clump of round yellow flowers with feathery leaves. "This is tansy." She said. "Remember its scent, and the shape of its flowers and leaves. When eaten, it can remove worms, and the flowers help with coughs. We can also use the leaves for a poultice to treat joint-aches. But never give it to a pregnant queen—it can cause her to lose her kits."  
  
He nodded seriously. Gingerpelt picked up a few tansy leaves and nodded for him to do the same, then she padded out of the den and across to the elder's den. Goosepaw's curiosity was peaking—what important duty was this?  
  
Gingerpelt padded into the den inside the fallen tree, setting down her herbs with a smile. "Hello, Badgerclaw, Leafclaw." She said cheerfully.  
  
Badgerclaw looked up and yawned widely. He was an old black and white tom with a silvery muzzle from age. He was very grumpy most of the time, and Goosepaw felt a little awkward around him. Leafclaw was in the elder's den now, too. A couple of moons ago he was caught in a fox trap while hunting, badly injuring his hind leg. He walked with a heavy limp now, barely able to use the twisted limb, and had regretfully retired to the elder's den. Since then he had warmed up to his new station in life, and was less bad-tempered than Badgerclaw. He dipped his head to Gingerpelt. "Greetings, Gingerpelt. And is this our new medicine cat apprentice?" He said with a smile, looking past her at Goosepaw. He nodded, and Leafclaw laughed.  
  
"I hope he's here to get fresh moss for my nest." Grunted Badgerclaw. "It smells like the dirtplace."  
  
Goosepaw looked alarmed, but Gingerpelt laughed and shook her head. "Not right now, Badgerclaw. He and I just came to give Leafclaw's leg some more tansy."  
  
 _Ah!_ Goosepaw remembered now—Gingerpelt had been helping Leafclaw's leg, as it had been aching lately.  
  
Leafclaw stretched, wincing slightly as he flexed his twisted leg. "Mm, that's great. Thank you. And Badgerclaw, didn't Adderpaw get you fresh moss this morning?"  
  
The old tom huffed, but said nothing, and Leafclaw smiled.  
  
Gingerpelt showed Goosepaw how to check Leafclaw's leg, finding out where it ached, explaining to him why it hurt. Then she showed him how to chew the tansy leaves into a poultice and spread it on the sore area. Leafclaw examined the poultice, sniffing it, and nodded. "Thanks, you two."  
  
"If you're here," Badgerclaw said, "Could you at least have that apprentice of yours take care of my ticks?"  
  
Goosepaw's ears flattened in distaste, but Gingerpelt nodded. "Of course." She looked at him with a twinkle in her eye. "You know where the mouse bile is kept, right?"  
  
With a sigh, he nodded and bounded over to the medicine cat's den. But even as he found the stinky bile-soaked moss, he couldn't help but smile. He was finally a medicine cat, performing important medicine cat duties. Even the minor ones were important.  
  
He picked up the stick with the moss dangling from the end, wrinkling his nose. _Even the stinky ones._


	11. Chapter 11

Over the next few days, Goosepaw learned more and more about being a medicine cat. He enjoyed all of it. He also kept an eye on the moon each night, waiting for the next half-moon. Gingerpelt had told him about the Moonstone. How they went down the dark Mothermouth tunnel, to where the Moonstone shone like a frozen star. How they would talk and catch up with the other medicine cats, and also share tongues with their ancestors. He itched with excitement to go. As the moon grew slowly from a crescent, waxing larger and larger each night, he could almost taste his impatience for it.  
  
He picked up a wad of moss, clamping it against his chest and picking up more with his teeth. "Anks for 'elpin 'ee, 'Oonpaw." He said around the moss, blinking at his sister.  
  
She swiped her claws across the moss, cutting off another swatch and adding it to her pile. "No problem. Lightfur taught me how to gather moss yesterday. I had to carry a whole nest's-worth for Badgerclaw, and he wasn't even grateful!"  
  
Goosepaw smiled, setting down his moss. "Pah! Well, Littlestream and Threestep will be glad for the clean nests too."  
  
"Yeah, what happened to Littlestream? I saw her in the medicine cat's den."  
  
"Just a cold. She fell into the creek a few days ago." Littlestream was a small white she-cat with a gray face and paws. She had a sister, Ivystreak, who had helped her back to camp to see Gingerpelt. _Coltsfoot and tansy flowers for coughing, honey to soothe sore throats._ Goosepaw told himself, proud that he remembered Gingerpelt's treatment.  
  
Moonpaw shook her head, cutting off another piece of moss. "She must have bees in her brain, falling into the creek. What was she even doing down there?"  
  
Goosepaw paused, then frowned. "Dunno. Hunting, I suppose."  
  
"Still seems silly to me." She stretched, yawning. "That's plenty of moss now. Let's get back and clean out their nests."  
  
The young gray tom nodded, picking up his bundle again. They trotted back to camp, skidding down the pebbly ridge, leaping carefully over the ditch. He was becoming familiar with the territory, and he felt he knew it even better than Moonpaw did. She knew where the borders were with ShadowClan and RiverClan, and how to get to Fourtrees, but she didn't know where to find cobwebs, how to get honey, where to find the best herbs. He even knew more about Twolegplace—they had to get catmint from a thick cluster near the edge of it. Goosepaw had even seen a kittypet once. Gingerpelt had even said hello before the wimpy thing had skittered off, its tail between its legs.  
  
Goosepaw rounded a stone and saw the thick gorse wall that surrounded the camp. He stepped in through the tunnel and angled towards the medicine den to change Littlestream's bedding, while Moonpaw dipped her head and started towards the nursery with her bundle.  
  
Then a loud cry cracked the air, and Goosepaw stood up straight with a start.  
  
In half a moment there was a yowl, and he recognized it this time, snapped out of his shock. _Threestep!_ He dropped the moss, running over to the nursery. He almost collided with Branchstar, who was also running towards the nursery, but when he saw Goosepaw he stepped back. Goosepaw ran inside—Moonpaw was standing there, looking alarmed, the moss on the floor forgotten. Threestep was on her side, half-curled in on herself, moaning.  
  
Goosepaw was bewildered. Were her kits coming? Was she ill? He hadn't learned any of this yet! Right as he was about to panic, Gingerpelt suddenly pushed in beside him, carrying a mouthful of leaves. Panic was swamped by relief. Gingerpelt would know what to do.  
  
The ginger she-cat looked at Moonpaw. "Moonpaw, please fetch moss with some water. And tell Branchstar that Threestep's kits are coming."  
  
A thrill went through Goosepaw. _They_ are _coming!_ Regaining his composure, he padded quickly to Gingerpelt's side. "What should I do?" he mewed.  
  
She glanced at him, smiling. "Don't worry. Just watch what I do, and if I tell you to do something, do it immediately." She turned back to Threestep, gently nosing over her belly. "Alright, Threestep, we're here for you. I want you to eat these." She pushed the leaves towards her muzzle. "It's raspberry. It'll help with the kitting." She said, half to Threestep and half to Goosepaw.  
  
Obediently she lapped up the leaves, shuddering as another ripple of pain went through her belly. "It hurts so much!" She gasped, blinking hard. "Will my kits be alright?"  
  
"They'll be just fine. You're doing well."  
  
Goosepaw wasn't sure how long it was. Time descending into the now—the breathless waiting, Threestep's gasps and moans, Gingerpelt's soothing words. Soon he found himself copying her. Talking soothingly, licking her ears gently, comforting her in her pain. Gingerpelt nodded to him approvingly. Moonpaw came back with the moss, which Threestep lapped gratefully, and all the while Branchstar hovered anxiously outside the den, listening and waiting. And Goosepaw knew, beyond him, the rest of the Clan was excited and waiting, waiting for the new little lives to come into ThunderClan.  
  
And then a large ripple passed through Threestep. She gasped hoarsely, and Gingerpelt cried "Push, Threestep, push!" and then a wet bundle of fur plopped into the world.  
  
"Goosepaw!" Gingerpelt said quickly, picking up the bundle and setting it in front of him. "Nip the sac open—like this—" she showed him—"and then lick it dry."  
  
He complied, nipping open the sac and releasing the kit. He rasped his tongue over its tiny back. It started to mewl, and Threestep's eyes shone. Goosepaw's eyes were shining too. It was a little dark gray kit, a tom. He mewled thinly, straining about with adventurous paws, trying to touch this strange new world. Goosepaw licked his soft fur until it was dry, then placed him beside his mother's belly. He watched him knead his little paws into her stomach, mewling. He found that he was smiling widely.  
  
Threestep was purring, but her purring was cut short by another wave of pain. She moaned, and another powerful jerk ripped through her. And then another new life came into the world. Gingerpelt set to work cleaning off the little kit. A she-kit. She had dark tabby fur, like her father, but with patches of white too. She mewled anxiously at Gingerpelt's rough tongue, but then she was placed beside her mother, and she set to nursing with vigor. Gingerpelt checked Threestep's stomach, and then nodded matter-of-factly. "That's all. You're done, Threestep."  
  
The tabby-and-white queen didn't even seem to hear her. She was looking down at her kits, love and wonder shining in her gaze. Goosepaw marveled—the kits were beautiful, but so was she, in the way she looked at them like that. "They're _wonderful_." She breathed. Finally she looked up. "Can Branchstar come in now?"  
  
Gingerpelt smiled and nodded, and immediately Branchstar shouldered his way inside. It wasn't too tight a fit, since Threestep and the two little kits were the only occupants. He looked at the kits, the same joy lighting up his face. "Look at them." He whispered. "Our kits."  
  
"Our kits." Threestep echoed. "What do you want to name them?"  
  
"Strong names. Warrior names." He said with a smile. "What about Stonekit, for the little tom? He's a big, strong kit."  
  
"And I want to name the she-kit Swiftkit." She purred, looking at the daughter. "I can tell she'll be faster than the wind. The best hunter in the Clan. Both of them will make their Clan proud, Branchstar."  
  
"I know they will."  
  
Goosepaw felt that he was intruding on something very precious, very special, but he didn't want to leave. There was a palpable happiness in the nursery. The scent of kits wreathed the air, simple and beautiful. Goosepaw marveled at it all. A few moons ago, those kits hadn't even been imagined. And now they were here, half Threestep, half Branchstar, living and breathing. Little bundles of potential. Suddenly Goosepaw could see it all—these two tiny kits would grow up, become apprentices, and then warriors. Maybe take mates of their own, have their own kits, and those kits would have a little bit of Branchstar and Threestep in them too. _It's incredible._ He thought, his eyes glowing. _It's…it's beautiful._  
  
For a moment a sharp pang struck him, dampening the happiness. He hadn't thought much about not taking a mate, since he was a medicine cat. But he would never be able to look at a queen like Branchstar did, marvel at kits that were part of him. But then a new realization struck him. _But I can share in_ this _joy._ He thought in amazement. _I get to help these kits come into the world. I get to share in this joy, every time, far more than any other cat in the Clan. That's truly wonderful._  
  
"Goosepaw!" Gingerpelt breathed softly. He looked at her, startled, and she smiled. She flicked her tail, gesturing for him to follow her out. "Come on. Let's give them some privacy."  
  
He nodded, reluctant to leave the atmosphere of love and new life. But he padded outside, and the feeling remained. He felt as though his paws were full of light. There were two new lives in the world, lives that would strengthen ThunderClan. He beamed. That was something to feel happy about. "Welcome to ThunderClan, Stonekit and Swiftkit." He said quietly.


	12. Chapter 12

The night air was crisp and cool. The ground was still warm from the day's sunlight. Goosepaw's body was hot with energy from the travelling herbs. Gingerpelt had had him watch her fix the herbs, making him memorize which ones would be best in the mixture. Next time, he would fix his own travelling herbs. But he didn't think about that now—all he could think about was what lay before him.  
  
It was his first trip to the Moonstone. Tonight, he would meet the other medicine cats and their apprentices—and he would be presented to StarClan as ThunderClan's newest medicine cat apprentice. His body fizzed with an exhilarating mix of nervousness and excitement.  
  
He bounded behind Gingerpelt, paws thudding against the loamy earth. The trees flicked past them as they ran. The moon was only just beginning to rise, the last tinges of sunset on the horizon, but it would be a long journey to Mothermouth.  
  
The trees finally opened up, and Gingerpelt stopped. Goosepaw skidded to a halt beside her, hardly out of breath despite the swift run. The ginger she-cat looked down at him. "Look, down there. You can see Fourtrees, and beyond that, WindClan territory. And far on the horizon, you can see the mountains of Highstones. That's where we're going."  
  
Goosepaw strained his vision to look far, hoping to see the dark opening of Mothermouth that Gingerpelt had told him about. But all he could see were the smudged outlines of peaks. He nodded slowly. "Wow. It's awfully far…"  
  
"We should get there a little before moon-high." Gingerpelt said, looking up at the sky. "We'd better get going. We'll meet the other medicine cats along the way." And with that she took off, racing down the slope to Fourtrees.  
  
The small gray tom raced after her. He looked up, awed, at the enormous trees as they passed beneath them. _So this is where the Clans meet at gatherings_. Gingerpelt had promised him that he would get to go to the next gathering, but it wasn't for another half-moon. They ran through the hollow and came out to where the earth rose up. Beyond here, it was hard and flat, with long grass waving in the half-light. Goosepaw took a deep breath and tasted a rank, earthy odor. Gingerpelt saw his nose wrinkle and said with a smile, "WindClan. We need to be careful. Patrols will know we're coming through their territory, since it's the half-moon, but we need to be considerate of them." She started off again, walking now instead of running. Goosepaw followed her.  
  
They hadn't gone very far before a shout went up. "Hey! Stop!"  
  
Goosepaw's fur stood on end and he went rigid. Gingerpelt laid her tail across his shoulders, but she stopped too.  
  
Out of the grass came two large cats and a slightly smaller one—an apprentice, perhaps. The one in front was a thin pale brown tom with a striped tail. Behind him stood a dark gray tabby tom, who stared at them with narrowed eyes. The third was a pinkish-gray she-cat with blue eyes. She glared at Goosepaw.  
  
He stared back, trying hard not to shake. They looked big, and _mean_. These were the first cats he had ever seen from another Clan. They smelled terrible, and hostile. He was frozen with panic. What if they said they couldn't go to the Moonstone? What if they wanted to _fight?_  
  
Then Gingerpelt dipped her head. "Hello, Runningtail."  
  
The tom with the striped tail blinked, and his hackles flattened. "Oh, hello, Gingerpelt." He relaxed. "Sorry, didn't realize it was you. Heatherpaw here sounded the alarm." He flicked his tail over the apprentice's ear, and his face was stern. "Heatherpaw, this is Gingerpelt, the ThunderClan medicine cat."  
  
Heatherpaw looked at them again, her blue eyes widening slightly, and then she ducked her head. "Sorry, Runningtail." She muttered. "I just scented something strange, and I thought…"  
  
"It's alright. In a real situation, you catching that scent could have saved lives." He said kindly. Goosepaw relaxed too. The tom Gingerpelt had called Runningtail was obviously a nice sort of cat. Heatherpaw brightened considerably.  
  
Then a voice growled, "Gingerpelt may be the medicine cat, but who's the little one next to her?"  
  
Goosepaw shrank back, eyes widening again. The dark gray tabby tom was looking at him, scowling. Runningtail glanced at his Clanmate. "I'm sure he's her apprentice, Gorsetail."  
  
"Just making sure." He said quietly. His gaze didn't leave Goosepaw's, and finally the young tom looked away.  
  
Gingerpelt inclined her head towards Gorsetail. "Yes, this is my apprentice, Goosepaw." She sounded impatient. "Now, may we please go through?"  
  
Runningtail dipped his head and stepped aside. "Of course. Gorsetail, Heatherpaw, let's move." He turned, vanishing into the grass. Gorsetail didn't look at the two ThunderClan cats as he ran past, but Heatherpaw cast a last curious glance towards Goosepaw before following her mentor.  
  
Goosepaw watched the grass where they had gone for a moment, then heaved a sigh of relief. "I was scared they wouldn't let us through!" He said.  
  
"They always will." Gingerpelt said.  
  
"They didn't seem so bad, for WindClan cats. The way some of the warriors talk, they make all other Clan cats seem like monsters. That Gorsetail was pretty scary, but Runningtail seemed nice." He remembered back when he was a kit, when Larksong had come back from the battle with ShadowClan and talked about fighting Littlepaw. _I wonder if she has her warrior name by now, like Larksong…_  
  
His mentor was looking up at the darkening sky. They started walking again. She seemed deep in thought. Finally she said, looking down at him, "Goosepaw, you're right. Those cats were nice. I'm sure that Runningtail, Heatherpaw and Gorsetail all have families back in WindClan. There are kits and elders and apprentices, just like in ThunderClan. The Clans are all a lot more similar than some would care to admit. Warriors will see other Clans as their enemies, but as medicine cats, we are above such rivalries."  
  
His brow furrowed. "So…so I don't have to hate the other Clans?"  
  
"No. It is our duty to heed StarClan's will. Our loyalty will be to ThunderClan, but if _any_ cat needs our help, regardless of what Clan they are in, we must help them. In one way, our loyalty will always be more to StarClan than to ThunderClan."  
  
The thought was strange to Goosepaw. He had always thought, growing up, that he needed to hate the other Clans. They were enemies who threatened their borders and stole their food. But now… "So I can be friends with cats in other Clans?"  
  
She smiled and nodded. "In fact, I hope that you become friends with the other medicine cats and their apprentices. We all help one another, and in that way, all our Clans stay strong and healthy, and bound tightly to their ancestors."  
  
Goosepaw felt a wonderful sense of release. He had always struggled with hating cats who might be like him, but now he didn't have to! He was more excited than ever to meet the other medicine cats.  
  
They kept going. They passed a strange set of Twoleg dens, which Gingerpelt called a farm. "Loners live there." She said. "Cats without a Clan." Goosepaw thought it was a strange thing, but they continued on.  
  
As they walked, suddenly they heard another sound, and more WindClan scent struck his nostrils. Then a small she-cat stepped out of the grass, dipping her head to them. She had ruffled, spiky white fur with patches of tortoiseshell on her back and face. "Hello, Gingerpelt." She meowed solemnly. At first Goosepaw had thought she was an apprentice—she was so small—but her deep voice betrayed her as an older cat.  
  
"Hello, Fernflight." Mewed Gingerpelt. "How is the prey running in WindClan?"  
  
"Fine, of late."  
  
 _Is this another WindClan warrior?_ Goosepaw wondered. Then she glanced at him. "Oh, I see you have an apprentice!" Fernflight said, looking at him with intense green eyes. He caught the familiar sharp scent of herbs from her pelt, dampened by the earthy WindClan musk. _The WindClan medicine cat!_  
  
"Yes, this is Goosepaw. When are you going to get an apprentice?" Gingerpelt replied with a smile.  
  
Fernflight shrugged. "When StarClan calls the right cat for me to train, I suppose." Then she glanced at the sky, turned, and started walking away. "We'd better hurry. Cloudfall and Dapplestep are probably at Highstones by now."  
  
Goosepaw was a little put-off by the solemn she-cat. But he hurried after Gingerpelt as they followed the WindClan medicine cat. "Don't mind Fernflight." His mentor breathed softly in his ear. "She's just not a cat of many words. But she knows a lot about finding herbs in unusual places, since WindClan's herbs grow sparsely."  
  
They kept walking, and soon they topped a rise and went down a slope. A sharp, acrid smell drifted through the air, and he gagged. "What _is_ that?"  
  
"Thunderpath." Replied Fernflight dryly.  
  
"Thunderpath?"  
  
"You'll see soon enough."  
  
And he did see. There it was, stretching from horizon to horizon. It was like a river of stinking black stone. He wrinkled his nose. "What is it?"  
  
They slowed and stopped a little far from the edge. Goosepaw kept going, repulsed and yet fascinated by the path. "It's so gross…"  
  
"GOOSEPAW!" Gingerpelt sprang forward, grabbing him by the scruff as he was about to set paw on the stone. He let out a cry—and then a nightmare roared out of the dark. It had enormous yellow eyes that glowed like the sun, huge paws that drummed the stone like thunder. It was enormous, terrible, bearing down on them—and then, in the blink of an eye, it was gone. Foul air ruffled his fur, and stared after the beast as it ran on, shocked.  
  
"That was a monster." Gingerpelt said breathlessly, her fur on end. "Great, terrible beasts. They're stupid, and only run on the Thunderpath. But they'll kill a cat and not even stop—just run right over them. The Thunderpath is very dangerous, Goosepaw."  
  
He nodded dumbly. Fernflight stepped forward, apparently unruffled by the show. "Shall we go?" She meowed.  
  
He stared at her, his pale blue eyes round as walnuts. "You mean—you mean we're going to _cross_ it?" He gasped.  
  
Gingerpelt nodded. "Don't worry. Just stick close to me, and you'll be fine."  
  
Goosepaw was terrified. But he trusted his mentor more than he feared the monsters. And so he stood close to her as she and Fernflight edged up to the border of the Thunderpath. Another monster came roaring past, a whirlwind of stink and sound—and then, as it passed, Gingerpelt yelled, "GO!"  
  
They took off across the path. Goosepaw could almost feel those paws crushing him, those eyes burning him with their light—but then his paws thudded against grass again, and he flopped down on the ground in relief. They had made it across.  
  
Gingerpelt nudged him gently. "Come on, Goosepaw. We're almost there, and it's getting close to moon-high."  
  
The terror of the Thunderpath was immediately swamped by excitement, and he scrambled back to his paws. Fernflight nodded in approval, and Gingerpelt smiled. They continued on, running now, their paws racing across scrubby rock. Highstones loomed tall and huge before them. Goosepaw craned his neck, trying to see the top where it melted into the dark and shadows. The sky was dark blue now, stars twinkling brightly. His heart in his throat, Goosepaw bounded after the other two medicine cats, feeling as though those stars were beckoning him.


	13. Chapter 13

Fernflight said, "There they are."  
  
Goosepaw's eyes widened. He looked down a short slope, and there it was—Mothermouth. A dark circle against the starlit stones, like an empty eye. Looking at it, for some reason, made him shudder. It looked terribly sinister to hold something wonderful.  
  
Then he noticed the other medicine cats. They were sitting around near the yawning tunnel entrance. There was a pale tabby cat, a small fluffy cream one, a dappled gray and black cat, and a slender white cat with a long tail. Fernflight and Gingerpelt didn't hesitate—they ran down the slope to the others, and Goosepaw hurried to catch up.  
  
The dappled cat, a tom, looked up and blinked green eyes at them. They glowed in the thin light. "Looks like Fernflight and Gingerpelt are here." He meowed.  
  
"Good, we've been waiting ages!" pirruped the small cream cat. He looked at Goosepaw with berry-bright yellow eyes, looking excited and curious. "And look! Who's that, Gingerpelt?"  
  
"Yes, who is it?" asked the tabby tom with a small smile.  
  
Gingerpelt laughed, padding closer. "One at a time." She sat down, flicking Goosepaw forward. "Everyone, I want you to meet Goosepaw, my new apprentice."  
  
The two other cats smiled and nodded to him welcomingly, and the tabby tom said, "Good on you, to take an apprentice." His back and brow were pale tabby-striped, but the rest of him was white, as if he had fallen into a snowbank. He flicked an ear and meowed, "I'm Cloudfall. The ShadowClan medicine cat. And this is my apprentice, Sagewhisker." He inclined his head toward the slender white she-cat. She had long silver whiskers, and she had a kind look to her.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Goosepaw." She meowed. She had a husky voice for a she-cat, but Goosepaw liked her.  
  
He cocked his head. "Wait. You're an apprentice? But you have your full name!"  
  
Sagewhisker laughed. "I'll always be Cloudfall's apprentice—until he is unable to serve the Clan."  
  
"You'll have to bury me before that happens." He said. There was something harsh about him, stony, but there was a smile in his actions. Sagewhisker chuckled.  
  
The dappled smoke tom coughed, licking a pure black paw. All his paws were black as Mothermouth. "I'm Dapplestep." He said, blinking slowly. He had a puzzled look to him, but it was probably just the markings on his brow. In the shadows, it made his forehead look furrowed in confusion. "I'm RiverClan's medicine cat. And this is my apprentice—"  
  
"Milkpaw." Interrupted the fluffy cream tom. He grinned at Goosepaw. "I'm glad I'm not the only 'paw now! Sagewhisker's too old to feel like another apprentice."  
  
She flicked his ear with her tail and laughed. "I'm not much older than you are, Milkpaw."  
  
Gingerpelt laughed too, and Goosepaw smiled. "So!" his mentor said, looking at Dapplestep and Cloudfall. "How have things been running in your Clans?"  
  
Cloudfall shrugged. The pale brown tabby tom stretched, yawning. "Prey's thin, of course. It usually is this time of year. But don't think that'll keep Ashstar down. All the warriors are doing their best to keep everyone fed—Lizardfang's got a cough, though, that I can't seem to get out of him. What would you suggest, Dapplestep?"  
  
The smoky tom frowned thoughtfully, giving his chest a few licks. "Coltsfoot is best, of course. Unless it's whitecough or greencough. You have catmint?"  
  
"Plenty. It doesn't seem to be one of the 'coughs, though."  
  
"What about honey? It helps soothe throats."  
  
Cloudfall nodded. "That's a good idea, but we don't have any hives or honey on our territory."  
  
Gingerpelt lifted her tail. "I have a little extra honey. We don't often have coughs this time of season, so you're welcome to it."  
  
The ShadowClan medicine cat smiled and dipped his head. "Thank you, Gingerpelt. I can get you some nettle, if you like, since it grows thicker in our territory."  
  
"Much obliged."  
  
Goosepaw, even though he knew that medicine cats were above Clan rivalries, was amazed at how freely the medicine cats were sharing their advice and herb supplies. He was starting to get used to the strange scents—Milkpaw's fishy tang still stung his nostrils, though. Milkpaw looked at Goosepaw, bored by the discussion about herbs. "So!" He said. "You're Goosepaw?"  
  
He looked at the other apprentice. "Yep."  
  
"So why'd you become a medicine cat?" His bright yellow eyes shone with interest.  
  
Goosepaw hesitated, then meowed slowly, "I never liked playing the games—you know, play fighting and stuff. Then I got sick when I was a kit, and spent some time in Gingerpelt's den. I learned that I really liked all the medicine cat stuff, so when Gingerpelt asked if I wanted to be her apprentice, I accepted."  
  
"That's cool." Milkpaw licked a paw and drew it over his ear. "I was like that too, in a way. My denmate, Troutpaw, dared me to sneak into Dapplestep's den when we were kits. I did, and boy, did I get in trouble for it! Spottedstar punished me by making me help Dapplestep with his minor duties. I had to learn how to clean the elders for ticks." He made a disgusted face, then grinned. "But it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I found out I really liked doing medicine cat stuff, and asked to be Dapplestep's apprentice. I've never looked back."  
  
Goosepaw smiled, warming up to the friendly RiverClan apprentice. It was amazing to have someone more his age who shared his interests. "Me, either. My sister, Moonpaw, she wanted me to be a warrior, and so did my denmates. But this is the path for me. A few days ago, I got to help a queen in our Clan deliver her kits. It was amazing! I was so glad I could be there, that I could help bring those kits into the world."  
  
The cream-furred tom nodded, about to reply, when Fernflight looked up. "It's almost moon-high. We'd better go down." She meowed.  
  
A thrill went up Goosepaw's spine. Milkpaw touched his tail to Goosepaw's shoulder, smiling encouragingly, then dashed over to Dapplestep. Gingerpelt walked over to Goosepaw, and he got to his paws. Mouse feet danced in his stomach, and he swallowed nervously. She smiled at him.  
  
Then the medicine cats walked into Mothermouth, leaving the open air behind them.


	14. Chapter 14

The darkness closed around Goosepaw, and he heard Gingerpelt murmur, "Stay close to me." She touched her tail to his shoulder, making sure he didn't lose her in the dark.  
  
The blackness pressed around him, darker than dark. All he could feel was cold stone beneath his paws, and Gingerpelt's tail on his shoulder. Panic started to claw at him. What if it just kept going, into the dark? What if he fell and the others left him behind, and he was lost in the dark forever? The tunnel just kept on going down, down, down, so black he could close his eyes and not tell the difference.  
  
He was starting to wish he could just stop and run, run back to the surface and the starlight, when Gingerpelt whispered, "We're here."  
  
He felt a draft and sensed the tunnel opening up around him. Gingerpelt nudged him, telling him to sit, and he sat. He sniffed—he could taste fresh air, and that comforted him. But it was still so dark! Where was the Moonstone?  
  
Then the moon reached its peak, and the Moonstone came alive.  
  
Goosepaw had to squint against the sudden light. The cavern burst into light, blazing like fire. A stone in the center of the enormous cavern glowed like a fallen star. It almost hurt to look at, but Goosepaw couldn't look away. His breath misted on the cold air and he stared in wonder. It was _beautiful_. Like nothing he could have ever imagined. He looked at the others and saw the same light in their eyes. Stars in their eyes. Gingerpelt met his gaze and smiled warmly. Then she looked up at the others. "May I go ahead?" She asked. The other medicine cats nodded solemnly, and Goosepaw realized what was about to happen. He sat up straighter and tried to smooth the unruly fur on his chest.  
  
Then Gingerpelt fixed him with her intense green eyes, glowing with the reflected light of the Moonstone, and he stopped. "Goosepaw," she meowed, "Is it your wish to enter into the mysteries of StarClan by becoming a medicine cat?"  
  
His heart pounded in this throat, and his eyes shone. "It is."  
  
"Then come forward."  
  
He stepped up to her, his legs trembling slightly. Gingerpelt turned her gaze skyward, towards the stars they could see through the opening in the cavern roof. "Warriors of StarClan, I present to you this apprentice, Goosepaw. He has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant him your wisdom, your insight and strength, so that he may understand your ways, and heal all cats under your stars in accordance to your will."  
  
Goosepaw felt as though the Moonstone had reached out and filled him with light. He could almost imagine starry cats all around him, murmuring their acceptance of him. Gingerpelt then turned, gesturing for him to do the same. As one, all the medicine cats stepped over to the Moonstone.  
  
He looked at the pearly surface, seeing a silver reflection of himself. He blinked, shaking with anticipation. He hoped that StarClan would accept him as a medicine cat. Gingerpelt nodded, and they all lay down on the ground. He watched Milkpaw and Dapplestep as they touched their noses to the stone. Immediately their bodies stiffened and their eyes closed. Fernflight did the same, and so did Cloudfall and Sagewhisker. Then Gingerpelt pressed her nose to the stone and fell asleep, her green eyes sliding shut.  
  
Hesitantly, Goosepaw leaned forward and touched his muzzle to the rock. A blast of icy light flooded into him—and suddenly he was standing elsewhere. He looked around, and realized he was standing in Fourtrees. The oaks towered over him, touching a sky sprinkled with dazzling stars. The light they cast was as bright as the sun. He looked around, curious. Why was he here? He started to walk, a little disappointed that he wasn't seeing any cats from StarClan.  
  
Then he saw a cat. He stopped, his fur standing on end. It was a small cat, pale brown, but his fur shimmered and glowed. The small cat bounded out of the grass towards him, smiling at him with glowing eyes, and finally Goosepaw recognized him. "Yellowkit!" He said. "It's you!"  
  
The young tom nodded. "I've missed you." Goosepaw said, his ears drooping suddenly. "So have Ashstripe and Adderpaw and Tawnypaw. They're apprentices now, you know, Moonpaw too. I wish you could've been an apprentice too…"  
  
Yellowkit looked at him with a wisdom far beyond his apparent years. "It was my time." He meowed softly. Then he lifted his head, and when he spoke, he seemed to speak with many voices. "Goosepaw, StarClan accepts you as a medicine cat, but you must remember the promise you have made. You have promised to follow the way of the medicine cat, to heal all cats no matter who they are. Never forget this promise. You must be loyal to your calling. You must remember your duty."  
  
Goosepaw's eyes widened, and he nodded. "I will, I promise! I want to do my best for my Clan, and all the Clans!"  
  
Yellowkit blinked, his eyes shining. "Remember to be loyal, Goosepaw. Remember."  
  
He nodded again. "I will!"  
  
And then Yellowkit bounded away, and before Goosepaw could call after him, his gaze was pulled away. He was looking at a tree. It reached upwards with spreading branches, dark as Mothermouth against the starry sky. His eyes were drawn to a pair of birds sitting on one of the branches. He watched them, curious. _Birds? What are birds doing in StarClan? Do StarClan warriors hunt them?_ These two birds didn't see worried about the cat watching them. They seemed utterly content, sitting close to one another. Goosepaw felt peaceful, looking at them.  
  
Then a terrible feeling crept up the back of his neck. Suddenly, the black shadows of the tree shot out, engulfing the two birds. They squawked in terror, fighting a blackness that was trying to swallow them. Goosepaw took a step back, horrified. One of the birds managed to break free, winging off into the air, but the other one was pulled down. The blackness pulled it under, and then the bird lay at Goosepaw's paws. It wasn't dead, but its wings were twisted and broken, and it tried in vain to fly, crying out in pain. Its mate circled above, unable to land, and then it flew away, making a mournful sound that made Goosepaw's heart want to break. He looked down at the broken bird, feeling a mix of revulsion and fear. It flopped about, crying weakly.  
  
And then the ground fell away from under him, and he snapped awake.  
  
He blinked rapidly, his body relaxing. He had been stiff with fright. The dark surface of the Moonstone was in front of him—thin light bled through the opening in the ceiling. Outside, it was dawn. The other medicine cats slowly got to their paws, grooming themselves, looking thoughtful. Sagewhisker had a strange look in her eye, and she looked at Cloudfall, who shook his head slightly. They bid farewell to the others and left.  
  
Gingerpelt touched his shoulder and he jumped, spinning around. She looked troubled, but she smiled at him. He tried to smile back. He couldn't help but think about his strange dream—mostly about the part with the birds. _Was it an omen? A prophecy? What could it mean?_ He wondered, bewildered. _Maybe Gingerpelt had the same dream. I'll talk to her on the way back._  
  
Milkpaw padded over and dipped his head. Fernflight had already left, and Dapplestep was waiting by the tunnel. "Goodbye, Gingerpelt." He mewed. He looked at Goosepaw and smiled. "It was great meeting you, Goosepaw."  
  
He nodded, distracted, and Milkpaw dashed away from his mentor. Gingerpelt followed, and Goosepaw followed her, caught up in his thoughts.  
  
Once they were out in the morning light, he turned to Gingerpelt. "Gingerpelt, I dreamed of StarClan," He began, "But it was really weird—and it scared me."  
  
She looked at him, her eyes brightening with interest. "Really? I did too." She frowned. "That means it must be worse than I feared."  
  
His eyes widened. _Did she have the same dream?_  
  
"I dreamed of shadows." She said, brow furrowed. "I saw them coming over the Thunderpath, falling over the camp, a great darkness. I saw cats falling, blood spilling."  
  
His ears drooped slightly in disappointment. _That's not really like my dream. My dream had birds…_ he frowned thoughtfully. _But it had shadows in it, too. The shadows hurt the bird._ "What does it mean?" He asked, looking at her worriedly.  
  
She grimaced, and broke into a run. He rushed to catch up. "We need to talk about it with Branchstar." She said, "Just to make sure. But if I'm right…it means that ShadowClan is planning on attacking the camp."  
  
A chill ran down Goosepaw's pelt. _Shadows, engulfing the birds, hurting them. That must be it. It was a sign of a battle with ShadowClan!_ He hurried his pace, nearly passing Gingerpelt. "We have to get back to the camp! We have to warn them!"  
  
He thought of the bird with the broken wings, crying out in agony. _Oh please, let it not come true!_ He thought desperately.  
  
The two cats flew over the moors, paws drumming in their haste to return to ThunderClan.


	15. Chapter 15

Branchstar called the Clan with the customary call, and they came swiftly out of their dens and in from the forest, sensing the tension in the air. He stood tall on top of the Highrock, a stiff breeze ruffling his tabby fur. His oddly colored eyes flashed. Goosepaw watched him from the base of the rock, sitting beside Gingerpelt, and admired him. They were lucky to have such a powerful leader. As soon as Gingerpelt had explained to him the dream she had had, the battle it foretold, he had leaped into action.  
  
"Cats of ThunderClan," he said loudly, letting his voice ring out over the gathered warriors, "ShadowClan is preparing to invade!"  
  
Shocked murmurs and cries of alarm raced through the clearing. Eyes widened and claws unsheathed. Branchstar waved for silence, and then continued, "Gingerpelt and Goosepaw have returned this morning from the Moonstone, and they have both been warned of ShadowClan's murderous intentions. They will attack, today, and they will try to attack the camp."  
  
More murmurs of shock and worry and anger. Goosepaw looked from Branchstar to the rest of the Clan. Silverheart was looking worriedly at Rockpelt, who looked unusually somber. Mumblefoot was flexing his claws eagerly, muttering something to Hawkstorm. The big dark tabby nodded as if he agreed. Larksong was by the nursery, talking quietly to Threestep, who looked out with wide eyes.  
  
"StarClan has warned us of their attack, however, so we can prepare." Branchstar said.  
  
Goosepaw shifted his gaze back to him, pondering that this was the most he had ever heard Branchstar say at one time. The leader was usually a cat of few words.  
  
"I want a patrol to circle the camp, more cats near the entrance and places where the barrier is weak like at the dirtplace. Then I want warriors to come with me to try to head off the invasion party so that the attack doesn't come as far as the camp. We'll spread out and set up stations throughout the forest, on the likely points where ShadowClan might try to enter our territory, and as soon as they come we'll make sure they fight where we want them too." He looked at his deputy, who was standing near the front. "Lightfur, you head the guard patrol back at camp." He looked up again, his eyes narrowing. "To come with me, I want Yarrowtail, Bigtail, Hawkstorm, Rockpelt, Sweetbriar, Thornfur, Ashstripe, Weedwhisker, Pinepaw, Poppypaw and Adderpaw. I'll call you all when it's time to move out. All others will guard the camp with Lightfur."  
  
The young tom heaved a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding—Moonpaw wasn't going into battle. He had been worrying about that. Rockpelt was, and that worried him, but he was a warrior. He'd be able to take care of himself. He saw Silverheart look at Rockpelt, and he nudged her head comfortingly. She'd be staying behind with Moonpaw to guard the camp.  
  
As the orders were given, the cats drifted off to their duties. Branchstar leaped down from the Highrock and blinked at Gingerpelt. "What time, do you think, they'll attack?" He asked. Lightfur had come over to join them. Goosepaw suddenly felt out of place, amongst such older and more important cats, but Gingerpelt hadn't dismissed him. So he stayed put.  
  
Lightfur frowned. The wind tugged at her white fur. "It's ShadowClan. They're night ambush attackers—they've proved that again and again. They're strongest at dusk and nightfall. Attacks they've tried in the past, in the daylight, have always been disastrous to them."  
  
Gingerpelt nodded. "It looked like it was around nightfall in my dream. Goosepaw?" She looked at him. "What about in your dream?"  
  
He went rigid, startled at being put on the spot. Finally he stammered, "I-It looked dark in my dream, too. And ShadowClan is…you know… _Shadow_ Clan."  
  
Branchstar blinked. A small smile played around his mouth. "Well put, young apprentice." He fluffed up his fur and nodded firmly. "Then we will put out the guards at sun-high, just to be safe. The battle patrol and I will set out at sun-fall and wait for them. StarClan willing, we'll turn their ambush against them." Then he turned, padding off to eat, speak with his senior warriors and prepare for the battle.  
  
Lightfur went off as well, and soon Gingerpelt and Goosepaw were alone beneath the Highrock. He looked off, distantly, caught up in his thoughts about his family and the upcoming battle. Then Gingerpelt flicked his shoulder, and he jumped.  
  
Her green eyes looked intently at him. "Are you alright?" She asked him gently.  
  
He hesitated, then shook his head. "No. I feel sick to my stomach. What if cats get wounded? Or killed?"  
  
"Then that is what we are here for. Warriors live to prove their honor in battle, Goosepaw, and so we shall support our leader and serve our Clan. Everything will be fine."  
  
He nodded slowly, a small smile growing on his face. She straightened, getting to her paws. "We'll need to get ready soon—I'll run you through the battle-wound cures and remedies. But for now, you can go."  
  
She padded off towards Honeypelt and Littlestream. Honeypelt nodded to Gingerpelt, and her small pale-furred denmate nodded too. Goosepaw got to his paws, not sure where to go.  
  
Rockpelt and Silverheart were sharing tongues over by the warrior's den—but he didn't want to intrude on his parents. He could see Branchstar's pelt glinting in the nursery, no doubt assuring his mate and their little kits of their sure victory. _Only a few days old, and their father is heading into battle._ He thought, his ears drooping. _But their father has many lives. Branchstar will return. But what if someone else doesn't?_  
  
He shook the thoughts away. He needed to have faith. StarClan had warned them of this battle—of course they would win! They were on the side of right. They would all be fine!  
  
He padded over to the fresh-kill pile. Sweetbriar, Pinepaw and Poppypaw were there. Pinepaw was looking at a shrew at his paws. He looked ill. He looked up at his mother and shook his head. "I'm not hungry, Sweetbriar."  
  
She frowned, nudging it towards him. "Eat it anyway. You need your strength for the battle."  
  
Poppypaw was reluctantly eating a small mouse. Pinepaw made a face, but nodded. Sweetbriar purred, walking off to the elder's den to her mate Leafclaw.  
  
Pinepaw looked down at the shrew. Goosepaw thought he looked like he was about to throw up. He looked over his shoulder at his mother, blinked his leaf-colored eyes, and scooped up the shrew. He ran over to a bush and shoved the shrew under the branches, running back over as fast as he dared without looking suspicious. Poppypaw frowned at him, but said nothing.  
  
Goosepaw walked over and sat down. He didn't feel like eating, either. "Hi, Pinepaw. Hi, Poppypaw." He mewed.  
  
They nodded to him. Poppypaw swallowed a bite of mouse and stared down at the rest in distaste. She pushed it away with a sigh, sitting up. She gave her dark ginger fur a few licks, then sighed again. "I still can't believe we're going to our first battle." She murmured. "I hope we've learned enough."  
  
"You have." Goosepaw found himself saying. "Moonpaw and I would watch you guys practice your battle moves and everything. You'll show those ShadowClan cats that ThunderClan isn't to be messed with."  
  
She smiled at him gratefully. Pinepaw smiled too. "I'm sure we'll be fine." He said to his sister. "But if I eat anything, I'll just lose it before the battle anyway."  
  
Goosepaw laughed. Poppypaw blinked at him in surprise. "You seem awfully cheerful."  
  
He shrugged. He was worried, but he was also assured of the fact they would win. "StarClan _wants_ us to win." He said. "So everything will be fine."  
  
Sweetbriar padded over again, a strange look on her face. She looked at Pinepaw, glancing at his paws. "So, did you eat your shrew?"  
  
He tried hard not to fidget, and nodded, smiling a little too widely. "Yeah, it was delicious."  
  
Suddenly the said shrew thumped into the ground in front of him, looking dirtier and slightly squashed. Sweetbriar looked stern, but there was a twinkle in her eye. "Oh, really? Then I guess it just crawled out of your mouth when you weren't looking, and hid under the warrior's den where Hawkstorm stepped on it?"  
  
Pinepaw's ears flattened and he shrank. "Sorry, Sweetbriar." He mumbled.  
  
She licked his head gently. "I'm just looking out for you. Eat it." She waited for him to start chewing miserably on it, before she walked off again with a flick of her dappled tail. Poppypaw smiled.  
  
Goosepaw saw Moonpaw coming in from doing a quick patrol of the camp with Lightfur. He bounded over to her. She looked nervous. "Hey." He meowed.  
  
She jumped slightly, startled, and then relaxed. Lightfur nodded to her, and padded off towards the Highrock. Moonpaw watched her go, then turned to her brother. "Are you okay?" She asked, sounding just like Gingerpelt.  
  
"Yeah." He said. "At least, kind of. I know we'll win."  
  
"I wish I were fighting with the others." She said, frowning. She looked over at Poppypaw and Pinepaw—Adderpaw had run over, and was demonstrating his battle moves for them, making sure he had them right. Hawkstorm was watching him and occasionally correcting him. Ashstripe and Thornfur were watching too from where they lay, sharing tongues. Moonpaw sighed heavily. "I know that guarding the camp is important and all, but I wish I were out there actually fighting!"  
  
Goosepaw shuffled his paws awkwardly, then licked her ear. " _I'm_ glad you're not fighting. There'll be other battles."  
  
"But look at Pinepaw and Poppypaw!" She complained. "They're practically old enough to be warriors, and they've never had a battle before now. I bet Branchstar makes them warriors after this battle, if they fight well. I don't want to wait until I'm nearly a warrior to fight."  
  
"You won't go running after them to help fight, will you?"  
  
She stared at him, then laughed softly. "I'm not _that_ stupid, Goosepaw." She nudged his head affectionately. "Don't worry, I'll listen to my leader and mentor. I'll guard the camp."  
  
"Good."  
  
He licked her ear again and she licked his shoulder, then Goosepaw went to check with Gingerpelt and go over battle herbs again.


	16. Chapter 16

The sun climbed higher in the sky. When it was at its peak, those in the guard patrol went out to set up their perimeter. Silverheart licked Rockpelt and he laughed, but she looked more serious, following Lightfur and Moonpaw out of camp.  
  
Goosepaw sat by his father. He was still running herbs through his head—goldenrod and cobwebs for open wounds, burdock for infection, dock to slow bleeding—when Rockpelt looked down at him. "You know, I'm proud of you." He purred.  
  
"Huh?" Goosepaw looked up at him, surprised. _Where did that come from?_  
  
The big black and white tom nodded. "I am. I sorta wish you had become a warrior, of course, but you can bet I'm proud of how well you're doing as a medicine cat."  
  
The young tom flushed, looking shyly at his paws. "Thanks, Rockpelt."  
  
He leaned down and licked the top of Goosepaw's head. "Now, when Branchstar gives the word, we'll go teach those mangy ShadowClan cats a lesson, huh?" He chuckled.  
  
"Yeah." Goosepaw said.  
  
"I just hope I can keep those brutes away from the camp, and your mother." A fire lit in his eyes, and he flexed his claws. Goosepaw was surprised—for the first time, his father looked dangerous. A warm feeling filled Goosepaw. _I guess when you're fighting for someone you love, that can make anyone look dangerous. I bet even I could look dangerous, if I were fighting for Moonpaw or Silverheart too._  
  
A few hunting patrols went out and returned. No one felt much like eating, though the warriors choked down a little food to keep their strength up. Adderpaw and Pinepaw practiced their battle moves, and Sweetbriar shared tongues with Poppypaw. Goosepaw went over and over the remedies he would need in his head, and Gingerpelt quizzed him, making sure he was ready. He was so on edge his fur felt brittle—he half wished ShadowClan would just attack already, and get it over with.  
  
Then, as the sun was halfway down the sky, Branchstar called for the warriors to move out. Goosepaw followed them out, glimpsing Rockpelt, and called, "Good luck!"  
  
Rockpelt waved his tail in answer. Goosepaw looked around the entrance—Rookflight, Tawnypaw, Mumblefoot and Littlestream flanked the bramble tunnel, even though Mumblefoot looked put out that he wasn't getting to fight. Goosepaw couldn't see where Moonpaw and Silverheart were, so he turned back and went to the medicine cat's den.  
  
Now there was nothing they could do but wait.  
  
He paced in his den, his tail lashing. He remembered the battle when he was small—they had won that time, and no one had been seriously hurt. _This time will be like that, too._ He assured himself, but it didn't stop the rat's feet dancing in his stomach. Gingerpelt watched him pace until she told him to stop. So he sank down in his nest. He lay his head against the side and wondered if the battle had started yet. Who would Rockpelt be fighting? He wondered, suddenly, if Larksong would fight that ShadowClan apprentice again, Littlepaw.  
  
Time seemed to roll by so slowly.  
  
Then, as twilight was getting thicker and the shadows stretched long and mottled on the earth, he heard screeches.  
  
He bolted to his paws, fur on end. He could hear yowls and battle cries in the distance—he strained his ears, trying to see if he recognized any of the sounds. That piercing yowl—was that Branchstar? That howl of pain—that couldn't be Larksong, or Sweetbriar, was it? Was Adderpaw fighting a big ShadowClan cat right now? Goosepaw felt he was going out of his mind from worry.  
  
They heard the yowls for a while—the whole camp was on edge. It was far, but not too far. Definitely within their borders. Even Gingerpelt looked worried, and that made it worse for Goosepaw. His pale blue eyes glowed in the growing darkness. Like Threestep, Badgerclaw, Leafclaw and Gingerpelt, the only cats left in the actual camp, he was watching the entrance for a sign of the returning warriors.  
  
The first cat he saw, when the yowls finally stopped and the forest was deadly still, was Adderpaw.  
  
He raced into camp, panting. He had claw marks on his shoulders. His pale yellow eyes were wide as the moon. "We won, we won!" He gasped, chest heaving. "But—but Thornfur's hurt bad—so is Rockpelt, and Poppypaw, they need help!"  
  
Goosepaw felt as though a tree had slammed into his chest. He was rooted to the spot— _Rockpelt is hurt bad_. What did that mean? He was swallowed in panic.  
  
Then Gingerpelt's tail brushed his shoulder, he looked up at her firm green gaze, and his training shunted his panic aside. _I am a medicine cat. They need my help—I have to help them._  
  
The rest of the warriors flooded into camp. Not one of them was without the marks of battle. Mumblefoot was walking close to Larksong, who had a long gash across her muzzle. Ashstripe was limping heavily on her front paw, but she was helping Rookflight carry Thornfur. He was unconscious, and blood soaked his belly. Ashstripe looked as though she was about to faint herself. Adderpaw and Tawnypaw rushed to help her with their father, mewing their concern. Rookflight looked as wild as they—Thornfur was her brother. Gingerpelt and Goosepaw rushed over, moving betwixt the cats to get to the most severely wounded.  
  
Sweetbriar pushed her way in through the barrier. A deep nick gleamed in her ear, and she was half-dragging Poppypaw, who was walking unsteadily. Long gashes gleamed on her shoulder. Branchstar came in, covered in blood but strangely with no open wounds. Goosepaw wondered if he had lost a life. And then there was Rockpelt. Goosepaw almost panicked again.  
  
Silverheart and Moonpaw were helping him. He made it just inside the camp and collapsed. One of his ears was gone completely, and his black and white fur was spotted with blood. He panted weakly, eyes rolling. He was trying to speak, but Silverheart shushed him, licking his head anxiously. Moonpaw looked like she was in a daze.  
  
Gingerpelt took charge, and once more, Goosepaw forced himself to help her, to put aside his panic. There was so much _blood_. It was everywhere. The stink of it burned his nostrils. But somehow he found a pool of calm somewhere inside of him, retreating into it. It was like looking through a tunnel, the tunnel of his body. His paws made him follow Gingerpelt, helped her carry Thornfur, Rockpelt and Poppypaw to nests in the medicine cat den. He grabbed cobwebs and dock and raced about the less wounded, binding wounds and making hasty poultices. His body was moving without him; it knew what to do. He just held back, trying to stay calm in it all. Eventually he fell into a rhythm, and his panic slowed. It was just binding wounds, taking care of them. Making sure they were comfortable. He raced back and forth from the medicine cat den, jaws clamped around herbs. _They've fought a battle, and won_. He thought as he spat a goldenrod poultice onto deep clawmarks in Littlestream's leg. _My battle's just started._  
  
As soon as all the other cats were taken care of, as best he could, he returned to the medicine cat den. Ashstripe, Sweetbriar and Silverheart were hovering around the den, grooming each other anxiously. Goosepaw glanced at his mother, then darted inside.  
  
Gingerpelt was bent over Poppypaw. She looked up, blinking wearily. "You took care of everyone else?" She queried. He nodded, and she sighed. "Good. These three are bad—Thornfur's belly is torn open, Rockpelt has a deep throat wound, and Poppypaw's bleeding heavily. I need you to get fresh cobwebs, as much as you can, goldenrod, raspberry leaves, burdock, poppy seeds."  
  
Goosepaw's mind caught hold of the herbs, ran through the list, and he darted around gathering it all together. Then Gingerpelt showed him how to fix the poultices, bind the deep wounds, give Rockpelt poppy seeds when he couldn't swallow.  
  
He didn't sleep that night.  
  
Poppypaw drifted off to sleep, and they were able to bind her leg wound well. She was out of danger. But Rockpelt and Thornfur were fading fast. Rockpelt's wound wouldn't close, and piles of bloody cobwebs were growing beside both nests. Gingerpelt sent Goosepaw out to get some water. When he returned, the dripping bundle clamped in his jaws, Gingerpelt was leaning over Thornfur. She looked up at him and shook her head.  
  
Goosepaw didn't feel it. It felt far away, like the rest of the night had seemed. He just nodded in reply, and brought the moss to Rockpelt, who lapped at it feebly.  
  
The ginger medicine cat wearily broke the news to Ashstripe. She seemed distant, too. She just gently picked up her mate by the scruff and dragged him out to the middle of the clearing, Silverheart and Sweetbriar and Threestep helping her prepare his body for vigil. Goosepaw saw the silver tracks of tears on her face, though. _She's suffered much,_ he thought. _First Yellowkit, now Thornfur_. The fact that Thornfur was dead still hadn't sunk in. Goosepaw was so far away from it all.  
  
The moon was sinking, now. Cats lay outside, paying vigil to Thornfur. Most of the warriors were asleep. Moonpaw was asleep outside the medicine cat den, leaning against Silverheart, who groomed her softly. Goosepaw watched them for a moment, then walked back over to Rockpelt. They had managed to stop his bleeding, but he was very, very weak.  
  
He was sleeping now. Goosepaw hoped that was a good sign. Looking at his father lying there in his nest, cobwebs swabbing his neck and his tail twitching feebly, Goosepaw was finally pulled out of his tunnel. He started to shake. "Please don't go." He whispered to Rockpelt, even though he couldn't hear. "Please don't go."  
  
Gingerpelt touched him gently, comfortingly, and he welcomed the comfort. But he couldn't stop shaking. Now Thornfur's death sank in, and he thought of Adderpaw and Tawnypaw, who had lost their father now. He thought of brusque Thornfur, with his strength and energy, how he used to play with his kits. He thought of all the blood he had seen, all the wounds he had bound, all the pain and hurt. He didn't cry. He was shaking like a leaf, but Goosepaw didn't cry.  
  
Dawn reached its fingers across the sky, then the sun rose, and climbed higher. Still Gingerpelt and Goosepaw watched over Rockpelt, changing his dressing, trying to get him to drink a little or eat. Silverheart came in for a little while, but she couldn't touch him for fear of opening his wounds again. Moonpaw didn't come in, but she didn't leave the den until Lightfur called her away. Goosepaw watched her go. The camp started moving again, the wounded warriors resting. Those who had guarded the camp now took on double duties. Goosepaw watched it all from the entrance to the medicine cat den, then he turned away. He was so tired, but he couldn't sleep. He had to make sure Rockpelt made it through.  
  
At sunhigh Poppypaw woke up, and managed to limp around a bit. Her wounds would heal, Gingerpelt was sure. Branchstar called a meeting, and Poppypaw was called out, and Sweetbriar and Pinepaw helped her get up to the Highrock. Goosepaw listened as Poppypaw and Pinepaw were made warriors, in honor of their courage during the battle. _Moonpaw was right after all,_ Goosepaw thought. He chanted their new names under his breath with the others, and felt cheered by it, but he couldn't leave. He helped Rockpelt drink a little water from some moss. "Poppydawn, Pineclaw. Poppydawn, Pineclaw." He breathed. "Rockpelt, you'll get to see Moonpaw become a warrior someday. I promise."  
  
The sun moved across the sky, and started to sink. Goosepaw was wearier than ever. He had been awake for two days straight now. Gingerpelt tried to get him to sleep, but he refused. "You sleep first." He had told her. "I'll wake you up if something happens."  
  
She had done so. Goosepaw kept watch over Rockpelt.  
  
*  
  
The sun was a red ball on the horizon when Gingerpelt woke up. Goosepaw saw her move out of the corner of his eye, but he didn't move. He was very, very still. Everything felt still. He was looking down at Rockpelt, and he knew that he had failed.  
  
The big tom's chest was still. His tail lay limp like a dead snake. If his eyes were open, they would have been glazed blue pools. He was gone.  
  
Goosepaw felt Gingerpelt's tail over his shoulders, heard her try to say something comforting, but he didn't hear it. His heart pounded in his ears, and he looked up at his mentor with dry eyes.  
  
"What did I do wrong?" he whispered hoarsely. "What did I do wrong, Gingerpelt? Why couldn't I save him?"  
  
Gingerpelt looked at him with such wise green eyes, such compassionate eyes. She rested her chin on his head. "Oh, Goosepaw, you did nothing wrong. You did everything you could."  
  
"Then why did he die?"  
  
She was silent for a moment. Then she pulled back, looking at him with those intent green eyes. "There is a time for everything, Goosepaw." She said softly. "Only StarClan knows the times. There is a time for new spring buds, and a time for leaves to whither and fall. We are medicine cats, and we must abide the will of StarClan. We do all we can to heal and to save, but for many, they are beyond our help—they are in StarClan's paws. And if it is their time, then StarClan takes them to better hunting grounds. We cannot understand why, but we must have faith. We must move on."  
  
Goosepaw looked at her, and then he looked down at his father. Then tears filled his eyes, and he buried his face in Gingerpelt's ruddy fur. He finally cried, his shoulders shaking with grief, and Gingerpelt wrapped her tail about him and murmured comfort to him. Then Silverheart and Moonpaw came in, and they wept too. They cried together, even Gingerpelt. Like a wave, the grief spread out through the Clan. That night, Goosepaw was not alone as he crouched beside his father, muzzle pressed into the familiar black and white fur. Moonpaw was pressed close against him on one side, his mother on the other, and all around him the Clan shared in their grief and pain.


	17. Chapter 17

A half-moon had passed since Rockpelt had died. There was a hole in Goosepaw's heart where his father was—but life went on. It always went on. So Silverheart, Goosepaw and Moonpaw went on too. Silverheart went back to her warrior duties, Moonpaw went back to training, and Goosepaw went back to one of his preferred duties—herb gathering. It gave him a chance to be out of camp and see the territory.  
  
He walked slowly, his tail flicking, taking it all in.  
  
Newleaf had changed into green-leaf, with thick foliage, cicadas buzzing in the trees and oppressive heat pressing into his pelt. Goosepaw twitched his whiskers as he walked, listening to the sounds all around him. The forest was deafening with life. Insects clicking, the chatter of squirrels as they bounded between the trees, bird song, the rustle of a breeze through the branches. The wind tugged at his fur and played with his whiskers, and he smiled.  
  
"It's a beautiful day, isn't it, Rockpelt?" He murmured under his breath. "I know you can see it. I bet StarClan's even more beautiful." He paused, then whispered, "I still miss you, though."  
  
In the days following Rockpelt's death, he had clung to his connection with StarClan. It had felt like a rock he could cling to when a current was trying to pull him away. He knew his father was still alive, somewhere, same as he knew Yellowkit was alive. That knowledge gave him strength. It was still a while before the next half-moon, but he hoped he would see Rockpelt when he next spoke with his ancestors.  
  
There were other things to keep him busy until then. Tomorrow night was the full moon—he would be going for the first time, even though he had been an apprentice for a few moons now. He looked around the trees, wondering who he would see and meet there. He hoped he would see Milkpaw there.  
  
The young tom stopped, sniffing around. He was searching for dandelions. He had found a good patch down by the creek, where ThunderClan's territory markers stood and beyond was Fourtrees. He padded in between the trees, keeping an eye out for any other herbs he might need. He was so caught up in his thoughts of herbs and Rockpelt and tomorrow's Gathering, that he suddenly realized he had been following a scent trail without meaning too.  
  
He stopped, frowning in confusion. Why had he veered from his normal route? Goosepaw sniffed around again, and this time he tasted wild garlic. He wrinkled his nose. What was _that_ smell doing here? There was a patch of it near the camp, but nothing out here…Suddenly he stiffened. Warriors often rolled in garlic or other strong-smelling plants to disguise a scent.  
  
What if it was an enemy warrior?  
  
But the trail was leading _away_ from camp, not towards it. He frowned again, then set off, following the scent. Whoever it was, they were being sneaky. And that deserved investigation. _Besides, they can't hurt me. I'm a medicine cat._ He thought with a smile.  
  
The trail wound down towards the creek. Goosepaw hesitated as his paws met the pebbly banks. Then he leaped across—sure enough, the trail continued on the other side. He set off even faster. Perhaps the enemy was a scout, trying to return to their Clan after scoping out an attack! If so, Goosepaw had to know. Knowledge like that could save lives.  
  
He passed ThunderClan's scent markers, but the scent kept going. _Well…Fourtrees is neutral ground. It's okay if I follow the scent here._ He continued up the slope, slowing as the bushes and trees opened up.  
  
The he froze, ducking behind a bush. In between the trees at Fourtrees, he could see the shapes of two cats. The garlic scent led in that direction—no doubt that mysterious intruder was one of the two cats.  
  
Goosepaw squinted, ducking around to a closer bush to get a better look. His pale blue eyes peeked through the branches. It was a large dark gray tabby, and a smaller white cat with a gray tail. The smaller one flicked its tail in a definitely she-cat way, and the tabby inclined its head. Then the tabby stepped forward, and the white one turned her head away, ears flattening.  
  
 _That's not an enemy!_ Goosepaw's ears shot up in surprise. _That's Littlestream!_  
  
The slender she-cat's gray face was unmistakable. She said something that Goosepaw couldn't hear, turning back to look at the tabby. The dark gray cat's face was easier to see from here—its face was broad, showing it was a tom. _Is he the intruder?_ Goosepaw wondered. _Is she driving him off?_ He didn't want to barge in, in case he got in the way if a fight broke out. He watched Littlestream's fur bristle, and he held his breath in anticipation.  
  
But the tom just leaned forward and nudged her head. Immediately her fur lay back down, and she returned the gesture. Goosepaw was confused. The tom moved his head, and Goosepaw couldn't see what he did—and then the tom turned and dashed away. He was heading towards WindClan. Littlestream watched him go, then turned and walked slowly back down the ridge. Goosepaw, still confused, darted out of the way so she wouldn't notice him. She passed a breath away from him. She looked…troubled, but there was a strange light in her eyes, too, a moony look. Then Littlestream padded off into the brush, and Goosepaw watched her go.  
  
He stayed there for a few moments, still trying to work out what had happened. It had looked like Littlestream was talking to the other tom, probably telling him not to intrude on ThunderClan territory. But then the tom had nudged her head, like a close friend. When he moved his head out of Goosepaw's view, the young tom could have sworn he licked her cheek.  
  
Littlestream had acted just as friendly to that tom as he had to her.  
  
Goosepaw slowly shook his head and got back to his paws. It was confusing, indeed, but the warrior code didn't say that cats couldn't have friends in other Clans. And he, himself, was supposed to be above Clan rivalries, so he had no right to throw around accusations. But was it possible to look _too_ friendly with a cat from another Clan?  
  
He sighed, padding along the creek to the dandelion patch. He could worry about these things later. Right now he needed to get his herbs and get back to camp. He wouldn't tell Gingerpelt about the incident—it would just stir up trouble, when he wasn't even sure of what had happened. If Littlestream were doing something wrong, she would own up to it. She was a loyal and sweet-natured cat. Goosepaw couldn't imagine her doing something wrong. He sat beside the dandelion clump and left the confusing thoughts for later.  
  
He pulled up the flowers by the roots, stacking them neatly in a pile beside him. Once he had gathered enough, he clamped his jaws around them and started back towards camp. As he padded away, he suddenly realized why the dark gray tabby tom had seemed familiar—it was the stony-faced WindClan warrior Gorsetail. He had met him on his journey to the Moonstone.  
  
So Littlestream was friends with Gorsetail. Something told him to keep and ear to the ground about this. He shivered as a gust of wind shook the branches above him, sending leaves spiraling down to the ground. For some reason, the sight of it seemed foreboding to him, and he hurried back to camp.


	18. Chapter 18

Fourtrees looked very different in the dark. Goosepaw backed up a step, stepping closer to Silverheart. In the shadows under the trees, he could see the glint of moonlight on many eyes and the flicker of pelts. "There's so many cats!" He breathed.  
  
Moonpaw flicked his nose with her tail. "Of course, silly, imagine ThunderClan three times more!"  
  
"Wow."  
  
He looked over at Branchstar, at the head of the group of cats, Gingerpelt and Lightfur beside him. He lifted his tail and signaled to move. As one, the cats raced down the ridge into the clearing of Fourtrees.  
  
Goosepaw kept close to his mother and sister. His eyes went round as he looked around. The four massive oaks stood around the clearing, and in the center was an enormous stone. Gathered everywhere was cats—lots of them! So many different scents jabbed at his nostrils. He almost felt dizzy. The Moonpaw nudged him and he snapped out of it. "Come on, I want to go talk to some of the other apprentices!" She chirped.  
  
Silverheart touched his back with her tail as he hesitated. "Go on." She meowed with a smile. "You can find me when the leaders make the announcements."  
  
Goosepaw smiled at her, and then pelted after Moonpaw.  
  
There was a group of smaller cats sitting near the big rock—the Greatrock, Goosepaw recalled. The apprentices looked up as Moonpaw trotted closer. A pale ginger and white she-cat raised her tail cheerfully. "Hey, look, it's Moonpaw!"  
  
Moonpaw waved back. "Hi, Otterpaw!"  
  
"Who's that behind her?" mewed one of the others, a dark gray tom with a white belly.  
  
"I know him!" came another voice. From behind the she-cat came a fluffy cream apprentice with bright eyes.  
  
Goosepaw perked up, bounding over. "Milkpaw!" He pirruped. "Good to see you!"  
  
The RiverClan medicine cat apprentice nudged his head in greeting and purred. "Good to see you too, Goosepaw."  
  
A brown tabby tom apprentice watched them, and cocked his head. "You're Milkpaw's friend? You must be a medicine cat apprentice."  
  
"Yeah." Goosepaw said, looking at the tom. He had a narrow face, and his teeth curled over his bottom lip. "Gingerpelt's my mentor. I'm Goosepaw."  
  
The tabby tom dipped his head. "Pikepaw. I'm from RiverClan, like Otterpaw."  
  
"That's me." Said the ginger and white RiverClan apprentice.  
  
The dark gray tom curled his lip. "He smells funny."  
  
Goosepaw bristled, but Moonpaw nudged him. "That's Cedarpaw. He's from ShadowClan." She said. Her gaze told her brother to let it go.  
  
He blinked slowly, then let his hackles fall. "Nice to meet you." He said evenly. The gray apprentice smiled in a halfway sort of way—as if he were too bored to make a full smile.  
  
Moonpaw and Otterpaw started talking, chattering animatedly about their hunting skills. Cedarpaw and Pikepaw wandered off to hear a story from a group of elders nearby. Goosepaw wasn't interested, but he looked around some more. He spotted a large, impressive gray tom standing near the Greatrock. Branchstar approached him, and he dipped his head, but not in the usual manner of a warrior. Then he started talking to the ThunderClan leader, flicking his tail and standing tall. "Is that a leader?" Goosepaw asked, confused that the gray warrior would show so little respect to Branchstar.  
  
Milkpaw glanced at him, then followed his gaze. He smiled. "No, that's Hailroar, our deputy in RiverClan. And coming up behind him, that's our leader, Spottedstar."  
  
Goosepaw saw a broad-shouldered white tom step up to Hailroar, who dipped his head with more respect. The white tom was speckled with brown and looked powerful, but his green eyes were cloudy, and his muzzle was silver and lined with age. "He looks too old to be a leader." He remarked.  
  
The fluffy apprentice looked at him sharply. "Spottedstar's a _great_ leader." He said.  
  
"I'm not saying he's not. I'm just saying he's old." Goosepaw said defensively.  
  
Milkpaw bristled for a moment, then his fur smoothed, and he chuckled. "Yeah, he _is_ pretty old. He was leader when Twistedear, one of our elders, was a kit."  
  
Goosepaw watched Hailroar and the old leader speak for a few moments. The difference between them was very apparent. _Looks to me like Hailroar will be leader before too long._ He thought.  
  
Suddenly a voice went up-"WindClan is here!"  
  
The young gray tom quickly got to his paws, straining to see. The small cats streamed into the clearing, talking to the surrounding cats. Goosepaw remembered what he had seen yesterday-Littlestream with Gorsetail--and wondered if the dark gray tom had come to the gathering. _I want to get a better look at him, just in case I was mistaken that that was him._ He thought. He glanced at Milkpaw and said quickly, "I'm going to go see the WindClan cats."  
  
The fluffy apprentice shrugged, and Goosepaw padded off quickly, weaving in between the cats.  
  
The WindClan scent was just as he remembered it-musty and earthy. He wrinkled his nose. He saw Fernflight trotting beside a very tall ginger tabby tom. His legs were so long and thin, Goosepaw wondered if they might bend beneath him like rushes. He walked closer, looking around for Gorsetail. He spotted Heatherpaw, her pinkish gray fur looking silver in the moonlight. She was looking awfully proud about something. He decided to ask her-it couldn't hurt, as long as he didn't say he had seen Gorsetail.  
  
"Hey, Heatherpaw!" He called, bounding up to her. She turned, blinking.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Goosepaw skidded to a stop in front of her. "It's me, Goosepaw. We met when I was going to the Moonstone."  
  
"Oh." She still looked confused at him, but then she puffed out her chest and sat up straight. "And it's not Heatherpaw anymore. It's Heatherlight."  
  
Goosepaw smiled. "Congratulations, then." He looked around again. "Is Gorsetail here?"  
  
Her blue eyes narrowed. "Why do you want to know?"  
  
"Uh-" He scrambled for an excuse-"I was just wondering, since he's one of the only WindClan cats I know."  
  
Heatherlight didn't look terribly satisfied, but she shrugged. "He's over there, with Halfpelt." She nodded towards a black and white tom. Beside him sat the dark gray tabby tom, who was looking around intently. Then he got up and moved off. Goosepaw said his thanks to Heatherlight and dashed after him.  
  
He hid behind the edge of the Greatrock, watching Gorestail intently. In the moonlight, it was hard to tell if the big tabby tom was the same one he had seen with Littlestream. Then he saw Littlestream over by one of the trees-and Gorsetail went over to her.  
  
 _Something_ is _going on between them!_  
  
He was about to run over to them, when suddenly a cat blocked his way. "Hey!" he cried.  
  
The cat turned to look at him. They were the same age, but the dark brown tom was larger. His yellow eyes were narrowed to slits, and Goosepaw swallowed.  
  
"What did you say?" He growled.  
  
Goosepaw shrank back at the hostility in the tom's glare, but he returned it. "Nothing. Just…you startled me, is all." He craned his neck, trying to see over the tom, but Littlestream was sitting alone now. _Mousedung._  
  
The apprentice curled back his lip, showing long white teeth. "I saw you talking to Heatherlight, about Gorsetail. What are you doing, snooping around WindClan?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Didn't sound like nothing."  
  
"Look," he said exasperatedly, "I didn't mean anything by it. Can you get out of my way now?"  
  
The tom's glare deepened, and he thrust his muzzle in Goosepaw's face. "You listen to me. You keep your nose on your side of the border, _squirrel-chaser_. You medicine cats are all the same, thinking you can waltz around like there aren't any boundaries. But if don't stay where you belong, I'll claw your ears off, got it?"  
  
"Hawkpaw!" Gorsetail was suddenly beside them, and the dark apprentice looked up. The big tabby frowned. "What are you doing? This is a peaceful gathering."  
  
The apprentice scowled. "He was snooping around, asking too many questions. Enemies are still enemies, even if we can't fight them here."  
  
At the word snooping, something flickered in Gorsetail's gaze. Then he turned to Goosepaw. "The meeting's about to start. You'd better get back to ThunderClan."  
  
Goosepaw hesitated, but the fierce look in Hawkpaw's eye dissuaded him. He turned and bounded back through the cats towards the group of ThunderClan cats. He thought of the vicious-eyed Hawkpaw and shuddered. _I'm glad I'm not a warrior, and have to face him in battle!_ He thought. He certainly wouldn't be forgetting that tom anytime soon.  
  
But he was still wondering about Gorsetail-and what was going on between him and Littlestream.


	19. Chapter 19

Time kept moving on in ThunderClan. Badgerclaw died of old age, and Goosepaw participated in the vigil for the elder. He learned from Silverheart that he and Moonpaw were kin with the grumpy old warrior - Badgerclaw was Rockpelt's father. He regretted not getting to know the tom more, but was heartened that he might seem him in StarClan. Maybe Rockpelt and Badgerclaw were walking the stars together, watching over their Clan.  
  
Stonekit and Swiftkit were getting bigger, and more rambunctious, every day. Stonekit was adventurous and playful, but it was his tabby sister who was the wilder one. She was constantly getting out of camp and into some trouble or another. Being the only kits in the Clan - and not to mention, the _leader's_ kits - didn't help much, either. Everyone spoiled them something terrible, despite Threestep's attempts to discipline them.  
  
Swiftkit's paws slapped down on Goosepaw's tail and he yelped. "Got you! Got the snake!" She growled, rolling onto her back and kicking at his shaggy tail with her hind paws.  
  
He twisted around, smiling a strained smile. "Ha ha, Swiftkit. Why don't you go play with Stonekit? I'm busy."  
  
She clasped his tail tighter, frowning up at him. "Stonekit's asleep."  
  
"Please, Swiftkit." Goosepaw closed his eyes exasperatedly. "I need to get some chervil root for Weedwhisker's belly ache!"  
  
"No! Your tail is a snake." She bit it, growling, and Goosepaw bit back a sharp retort, gritting his teeth. _Kits! I was never this annoying as a kit!_  
  
Gingerpelt padded over, smiling in amusement. "Swiftkit," She meowed brightly, "I'm sorry, but I need to steal Goosepaw away. Why don't you go see if Leafclaw will tell you a story?"  
  
Immediately she abandoned her "prey" and leaped to her paws. "Yeah! I want to hear the story about the battle against ShadowClan!" She raced off, leaping and batting at imaginary ShadowClan warriors, snarling.  
  
Gingerpelt watched her run off, then shook her head with a smile. "She'll make a fine warrior someday, that one. Stonekit too."  
  
The gray tom sighed, licking his tail. "Goodness, was I as bad as that when I was little?"  
  
"No, but you were a special case." She flicked her tail. "Moonpaw and Adderpaw, on the other hand…"  
  
"Pineclaw and Poppydawn too?"  
  
"Moonpaw was really the ringleader, I'd have to say."  
  
Goosepaw smiled. "She's like that. Maybe she'll be actual leader someday."  
  
His mentor nodded. "Perhaps. She's certainly determined."  
  
 _Wouldn't that be something - to have a leader and a medicine cat who were kin._  
  
The young tom looked up at the bright sun, squinting. It was a bright green-leaf day, and most of the Clan was taking the time to share tongues. Littlestream and her sister Ivystreak were laying near the warriors den, along with Ashstripe and Silverheart. Branchstar was lying on top of the Highrock, sunning himself. Even Mumblefoot was in camp, which was rare, as he tried to take as many patrols as a cat could handle. He was lying next to Honeypelt, and the two were talking. Seeing the scruffy warrior reminded Goosepaw of Weedwhisker. "I need to go get that chervil…"  
  
Gingerpelt shook her head. "No, that's fine. I already got it for him. You need to do a particular job."  
  
He straightened, lifting his tail high, eyes bright in interest. "What is it?"  
  
"I want you to go out training with the other apprentices."  
  
He stared at her, shocked. "What? But - But I'm a medicine cat!"  
  
She blinked solemnly, then licked her paw and rubbed it over her nose. Finally she said, "Goosepaw, you are a medicine cat. But even a medicine cat needs to know to defend himself, and how to hunt. What if we are fighting rogues, and you are attacked at the edge of the battle? Or what if you are in need of hunting for yourself, or catching mice to get mouse-bile? You'll only be learning the basics, but it's important that you know these things. Do you understand?"  
  
Goosepaw's ears burned. He hated the idea of training with the other apprentices. It would feel like being a kit all over again, looked down on for his poor skills, Adderpaw and Moonpaw scowling at him. But he hung his head and nodded. "Yes, Gingerpelt."  
  
Her face softened, and she licked his ear. "Good. Hawkstorm will be coming back from the sun-high patrol soon, and then he and Lightfur will take you and the other apprentices out to the training hollow."  
  
She padded back into her den, and Goosepaw watched her go. "Great." He mumbled. "Can't wait."  
  
*  
  
Hawkstorm scowled at him. "Goosepaw, you need to keep track of your tail. You almost smacked Tawnypaw in the face."  
  
He flushed, shrinking against the ground. "Sorry, Hawkstorm."  
  
The brown tabby rolled his eyes. Lightfur glanced at him mildly, flicking her snowy tail. Then she looked at Goosepaw. "Don't mind Hawkstorm, Goosepaw. You're doing fine."  
  
Moonpaw padded up to him. Adderpaw and Tawnypaw were watching. Adderpaw looked amused - Tawnypaw looked like he was trying to be nicer, but was struggling to hold back a smile. His sister smiled kindly at him. "Come on, Goosepaw, you can do it. Like this." She sank down into the hunter's crouch, tail swaying slowly over the dirt. "Just keep your tail where it'll best balance you. Listen to your instincts."  
  
Goosepaw blinked gratefully, but he still felt as awkward as a rabbit up a tree. _Instincts? My instincts are telling me to go hide in the medicine cat's den!_ He tried bending down in the crouch, splaying his legs and keeping his tail stiff behind him where it wouldn't hit anyone. "Is - is this right?"  
  
Even Moonpaw struggled to hold back laughter this time. "It's not supposed to hurt!" She said, seeing his pained grimace.  
  
He straightened up, and this time Lightfur came over. She nosed his legs, bending them down until he was crouching down. "There." She meowed. "That's better." Even Hawkstorm nodded his approval. Goosepaw felt relieved.  
  
"Now, stalk forward." The deputy said.  
  
 _You mean I have to -move-?! I only just managed to get in the mousedunged crouch!_ Goosepaw's ears flattened, but he tried moving forward, paw over paw. He was painfully aware of how his belly bobbed heavily with each step. Medicine cat chores weren't as strenuous as warrior duties, and it was starting to show in his physique. He could hear Adderpaw stifling a snort, and he wished more than ever that he could disappear.  
  
Hawkstorm stepped forward. "Look, Goosepaw, it's not as difficult as you're making it." He meowed sternly."Just - I don't know - imagine you're sneaking up on the mouse."  
  
Goosepaw imagined it - but he still lumbered like a badger. Lightfur suggested the others start practicing their stalking as well, which helped draw the attention from him, but the difference between him and the others was very apparent. Moonpaw, Tawnypaw and Adderpaw glided along the ground like shadows. Goosepaw waddled like a duck. _Like a goose._ He thought with a huff.  
  
Then Lightfur was beside him again, correcting his stance. "Don't imagine a mouse." She murmured in his ear. "Imagine you're trying to sneak away from Swiftkit." Her eyes twinkled.  
  
The young apprentice nodded slowly, getting back down into the crouch. He imagined Swiftkit was behind him, looking around for his tail to pounce on.  
  
He crept forward, trying to make as little sound as possible. He moved paw over paw, imagining her leaping on him, smacking his face with her paw, biting his tail with those sharp little teeth -  
  
"Excellent, Goosepaw!" Lightfur praised. "That's much better form."  
  
He straightened, looking at her in surprise. "R-really?"  
  
"Yeah!" Moonpaw grinned at him, getting back up too. "You were really quiet that time."  
  
He smiled in relief. Adderpaw looked at him and shrugged, and Tawnypaw nodded. "Good job, Goosepaw."  
  
He glowed with happiness. He sank back down into the crouch, and Lightfur laughed. "Lower your tail, Goosepaw."  
  
He nodded, bringing it down. _I'll keep trying at it. But I did it right once! So I know I can learn it!_  
  
The rest of the afternoon they spent training. As the sun was sinking lower in the sky, Lightfur called for them to stop. Goosepaw looked up, startled from his concentration in trying to pounce. He had been pouncing for a while now, with his misses striking a fallen branch, a rock, the ground, and Tawnypaw. He had apologized profusely.  
  
Lightfur waved her tail. "Moonpaw and I are needed for the dusk patrol soon. Hawkstorm, why don't you take Goosepaw and Adderpaw out for some real hunting practice, and Tawnypaw can come with me for the patrol?"  
  
The striped apprentice nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I would like that!"  
  
Hawkstorm nodded. He looked at Goosepaw and Adderpaw. "You two, come on." He grunted. Then he led them out of the training hollow. Adderpaw sprinted after him. The mottled tabby cast a dismissive look at Goosepaw, who had to hurry to catch up. He was worried about practicing with only Adderpaw and his tough mentor, but he was determined to do his best. Succeeding in this had become less a matter of Gingerpelt's instructions, and more a matter of personal pride.  
  
He raced after Adderpaw and Hawkstorm, determined to prove himself.


	20. Chapter 20

They padded along without speaking for a while. Adderpaw kept glancing back at Goosepaw. Finally he slowed down so that the two of them were walking side by side. "Look," he hissed, "I don't want to embarrass you Goosepaw, but I'm going to catch something. It's my duty. Alright?"  
  
Stung, Goosepaw snapped back, "It's my duty too, you know. I can catch something."  
  
Adderpaw's nose wrinkled. "Yeah, catch your breath."  
  
"Don't treat me like I'm less than you!"  
  
"But you _are_." Adderpaw stared at him, puzzled. "I was just trying to be honest. I'm a warrior, you're not. Duh."  
  
Goosepaw's fur bristled, and he opened his mouth to snarl.  
  
"Quiet back there." Hawkstorm grunted. The two apprentices fell silent, but there were sparks flying between them.  
  
After a while the big tabby stopped. "Alright." He meowed. "Split up, you two, and go in different directions. I'll keep an eye on both of you, but you won't see me. Catch something, and come back here when you do."  
  
Adderpaw nodded, looked at Goosepaw and shrugged nonchalantly, and dashed off into the undergrowth. Goosepaw scowled, then turned and raced off too.  
  
The young tom slowed once he had gotten a little distance away from the small clearing. He panted, shaking his head, and looked around. _Adderpaw's so arrogant_. He thought angrily. _He just can't believe I can do anything right_. He wished that Moonpaw, or even Tawnypaw were here, rather than Adderpaw.  
  
He padded forward slowly, sniffing about for anything that smelled like prey. He couldn't smell anything. He trudged along the path, the dappled sunlight hot on his back despite the shade.  
  
Finally he caught the scent of a vole. He froze. _Now what am I supposed to do?_ He thought desperately, his mind coming up blank. Then he remembered - find the prey.  
  
He drank in the scent and followed it, very carefully. The bushes opened up and the burble of the creek started to fill his ears. Finally he saw the glittering stream, and sitting on the bank was a fat watervole, nibbling on a seed. It had its back turned to him.  
  
 _Okay…okay next, I need to crouch_. He sank down into the hunting crouch, trying to keep his tail from swishing the undergrowth.  
  
 _Stalk forward…_ He moved forward slowly, paw over paw, imagining annoying kits trying to find him. His eyes widened, pupils drawing in as much light as possible, focused completely on the vole. He took another step, and another.  
  
 _Then…pounce!_ He pushed his hind legs into the ground, rocketing forwards, claws outstretched at the piece of prey.  
  
Suddenly Adderpaw flew out of nowhere, claws reaching for the vole, and Goosepaw cried out. Too late, their heads cracked together mid-flight, Adderpaw yowled, and the water vole vanished into its hole.  
  
The two apprentices rolled in a tangled heap, and Goosepaw clambered off of Adderpaw. "No!" He cried, scrambling over to the hole. He peered inside, but it was dark and too small for his paw to fit. He sat down heavily, snarling. "Foxdung! Foxdung foxdung foxdung!"  
  
Adderpaw got to his paws, shaking his head dizzily. "Nngh…" He glared at Goosepaw. "What was that?!"  
  
The medicine cat apprentice rounded on him, hackles raised. "What was _that?!_ That was me trying to catch my vole!"  
  
"Your vole? It isn't anyone's until it's caught." He sat back, licking his shoulder which had a scrape on it. "It doesn't matter now, the vole's gone. Thanks for messing me up."  
  
Goosepaw was spitting with fury. "You - you -"  
  
"Look, Goosepaw." The mottled brown tabby looked up, his eyes fierce. "We made different choices. You chose to be a medicine cat, I chose to be a warrior. So stop getting mad at me because I'm better than you at this sort of thing! I don't get mad when you can use stupid herbs!"  
  
Goosepaw's claws dug into the dirt. "It's not that you're better - it's that you're treating me like I can't be good! You've never given me a chance!"  
  
Suddenly there was a fire in Adderpaw's eyes. He stood up tall, his fur fluffed up, making him look twice his normal size. "I did give you a chance." He snarled. "I gave you tons of chances when we were little - and you turned them down. You're lazy, selfish, and too weak to be a real cat. It's not fair that Yellowkit died instead of you - he was twice the cat you'll ever be!"  
  
Goosepaw shrank back, the venomous words striking him like claws. "It's not my fault Yellowkit died." He hissed.  
  
"What about Thornfur then? Why couldn't you save him?!"  
  
"He was beyond our help, Adderpaw!"  
  
Tears of rage sparked in Adderpaw's eyes. "Beyond _your_ help. You couldn't save him. You're a failure, Goosepaw, and you always will -"  
  
Suddenly a loud squeal interrupted them. The two toms looked up, startled, and the voice screamed again. "HEEEELP!"  
  
Adderpaw stiffened. "That sounds like a kit!" He cried. Goosepaw's eyes widened. They didn't have to think - their argument could wait. A kit was in trouble. The two of them raced off in the direction of the scream, paws thundering into the ground.  
  
The gray tom and the brown tom cleared a fallen log and raced on, the stream churning by beside them as they ran upstream. They passed scent markers, but they didn't bother stopping. Goosepaw's heart thudded in his chest. Suddenly they saw it - a tiny scrap of tabby fur, clinging to a stone in the middle of the creek. The water rushed by here, terrifyingly swift as the river beyond poured into the stream. In the back of his mind, Goosepaw realized that he was on RiverClan territory right now. But it didn't matter, especially when Adderpaw gasped aloud.  
  
"Swiftkit!"  
  
Branchstar's daughter scrabbled against the rock, tiny claws scraping the slick surface. She gasped and struggled, and saw the two apprentices on the bank. "HELP MEEEE!" She wailed.  
  
Immediately Adderpaw scrambled up a nearby tree branch that hung close to the stone. As he walked carefully along it, it bent under his weight. Creeping on his belly, he was soon almost to Swiftkit. "Hold on, Swiftkit!" He cried.  
  
Goosepaw watched as Adderpaw inched closer, feeling completely helpless. Then, suddenly, there was an earsplitting SNAP.  
  
The branch Adderpaw was on snapped under his weight, and the mottled tabby plunged into the water.  
  
"ADDERPAW!" Goosepaw cried in horror, rushing to the edge of the bank, his paws sending scraps of pebble plopping into the stream. Adderpaw's head broke the surface and he gasped, grabbing onto the same rock that Swiftkit was holding on to. He managed to crawl up onto the rock, grasping Swiftkit in his jaws, but it was clear he couldn't stay there long. His legs were dragging in the current and he was digging his claws into the unyielding stone, his shoulders stiff with effort. The roar of the water sounded so loud in Goosepaw's ears. _What can I do? What can I do?!_  
  
 _I have to help them!_  
  
He spotted the branch that had snapped under Adderpaw. Thinking quickly, he grabbed the end in his teeth that stuck out of the water, and he pulled it free. Then he slid it out, poking the end towards Adderpaw. It just barely reached. "Adderpaw!" He cried. "Grab on!" Then he sank his teeth into the stick, bracing his paws against the dirt and pebbles.  
  
Adderpaw growled something around Swiftkit's scruff, and then she clambered around him and sank her teeth and claws into his own scruff. He winced, then, muttering something that could have been a prayer or a curse, he let go of the stone and lunged for the stick.  
  
For a single, terrifying moment, it looked as though he had missed - and then the tabby's claws sank into the wood, and Goosepaw was nearly jerked off his paws.  
  
Adderpaw was _heavy!_ Not to mention the weight of his wet fur, and Swiftkit clinging to his back. Goosepaw could feel his paws sliding in the dirt as the current fought to have Adderpaw and Swiftkit. The young apprentice dug in his claws and struggled to keep still. He realized now his mistake - he wasn't nearly strong enough to pull them out on his own. _But what could I have done?!_ He thought angrily, squinting his eyes, his muscles burning with effort as he fought the current and clung to the stick. _I can't let them drown! Adderpaw may hate me, and that's his problem. But_ I _am his medicine cat, and he's my Clanmate. I have to save him!_  
  
He managed to step back a whisker, but no more. He leaned back, his teeth aching. If he tried to hold it with his forepaws too, his hind paws would surely lose their grip, and they'd all be lost. So he clenched his jaw around the stick, and he prayed. _StarClan help me! StarClan help me!_  
  
Suddenly, looking down at the waves, he saw something.  
  
His eyes widened.  
  
The shadows dappling the water became reaching claws. The waves slapped the banks, clawing at them, trying to come up the shore and swallow him. The claws reached towards Adderpaw and Swiftkit, and Goosepaw almost cried out -   
  
And then the vision was gone, and he was digging in his paws, gripping the stick and trying to keep Adderpaw and Swiftkit was being swept away.  
  
Then, suddenly, he felt the tension on his teeth ease. For a terrible moment he thought that Adderpaw had lost his grip. But then he felt Hawkstorm beside him, the big tabby's jaws around the stick too. Together, they pulled, and bit by bit they pulled Adderpaw and Swiftkit to the bank.  
  
Adderpaw staggered onto the shore and flopped down, chest heaving in exhaustion. Swiftkit rolled off of him, whimpering and shivering. Goosepaw sagged too. His mouth hurt and he tasted blood - maybe he had knocked a tooth loose.  
  
Swiftkit looked up at Adderpaw, her eyes round. "You saved me." She whimpered. "You saved me."  
  
"Yes, he did." Growled Hawkstorm. He looked at Goosepaw. "And so did Goosepaw, by the look of it. How on earth did you get in the creek on RiverClan's side of the border, Swiftkit?!"  
  
She shrank into the earth, trying to seem as small as possible. She shuddered. "I - I wanted to go train with the apprentices - so I t-tried to follow - and I got lost - and fell in the river - and I want to go home!"  
  
Adderpaw sat up, licking Swiftkit's head comfortingly. "Hey, it's okay. You're alright now. We'll get you home."  
  
Hawkstorm sighed heavily. "We'll head back now. All of you need to see Gingerpelt, and get dried off. Goosepaw, we'll continue your training some other time."  
  
Goosepaw nodded gratefully. Hawkstorm scooped up Swiftkit, who was looking at Adderpaw with shining eyes. Then the two apprentices trudged back behind Adderpaw's mentor.  
  
The young medicine cat apprentice noticed the deep marks on Adderpaw's back from Swiftkit's claws. "You'll need some dock on those. It'll help." He mumbled.  
  
Adderpaw was silent. They padded along. Then he looked at Goosepaw. "I'm sorry for what I said." He mumbled.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know…about you being a failure. I was just angry." He paused, then said quietly, "You saved my life back there. So you're not _totally_ useless."  
  
Goosepaw smiled tiredly at him. It wasn't a perfect apology, but it was enough. "Don't apologize too much, Adderpaw. Wouldn't want to lose your pride now, would you?"  
  
The mottled tabby grimaced, and then chuckled.  
  
They walked the rest of the way back caught up in their own thoughts. Goosepaw found himself pondering the vision he had seen - how the shadows and waves had turned to claws. _It was a sign from StarClan_. He thought. _I know it. And it must mean something. But what?_


	21. Chapter 21

Gingerpelt nodded to Adderpaw. "You'll be fine. Get yourself something to eat and lick yourself dry. If you get a cough or sore throat, let me know."  
  
The tabby apprentice dipped his head and trotted away. Puddles formed in his pawprints. Gingerpelt had already looked at Swiftkit, and then given her over to her mother to get dried off. Goosepaw had tried hard not to laugh as Threestep flipped between getting furious at her daughter and coddling her. He didn't think Swiftkit would be searching for more adventures any time soon.  
  
Gingerpelt smiled, then turned to Goosepaw. "Alright, you said you hurt your tooth?"  
  
"I think so." He touched the tooth with his tongue and it tasted bitter. "I was holding onto that stick with my mouth…"  
  
"Let me take a look." Goosepaw opened his jaws and Gingerpelt looked inside. She muttered to herself, then nodded. "That tooth in the back has been given quite a knock. It'll be loose, probably permanently, unless it comes out. Just leave it alone, and it'll heal in a day or so. If it starts bothering you, just -"  
  
"-Take poppy seeds, I know." Goosepaw closed his mouth and smiled.  
  
She laughed. "I forget how much you've learned sometimes. The Clan will be in fine paws when you're the full medicine cat."  
  
Goosepaw's face fell. _That reminds me…my vision_. "Gingerpelt, when Adderpaw and Swiftkit were in the river, I saw…something."  
  
She saw the concern in his face, and her face became solemn. "We'll talk about it in the den." She said, gesturing for him to come inside with her.  
  
He padded into the den, past their nests, towards the back, where the light was dim. Goosepaw remembered being in here as a kit - how large everything had looked. He realized with a start that it didn't look so large anymore. _I must be growing_. Gingerpelt sat down, curling her tail around her paws, and her apprentice did the same.  
  
She blinked at him, her green eyes glowing slightly. "So. What did you see, Goosepaw?"  
  
He took a deep breath, and let it out again, choosing his words carefully. "I think…I think it was a sign. Or an omen, or something. I saw…the shadows in the water, they became claws, and they were reaching for Adderpaw and Swiftkit. And then the waves started to be claws, and they were leaping at the banks, trying to get up them. I could tell that they wanted to come out of the river, onto the land, and pull it down into the water. Me, too."  
  
His mentor was silent, listening intently. She nodded slowly, musing over his words. Finally Goosepaw asked, "Was it a sign?"  
  
"Yes…Yes, I think it was."  
  
A strange mix of excitement and fear ran up Goosepaw's spine. Excitement that StarClan had given him a sign - and fear of what it might mean. "What does it mean?"  
  
"The sign was sent to _you_ , Goosepaw." She said, blinking somberly. "What do _you_ feel it means?"  
  
He hesitated. He had been thinking about it, all the way back, and he felt he knew. But he didn't want to make a mistake…but Gingerpelt was right, the sign was sent to him. He took another breath. "I think it means that RiverClan is going to attack. They're going to attack Sunningrocks, like they usually do. That's what the waves meant - RiverClan warriors, trying to come onto our land, and take it."  
  
The ginger healer looked at him with those kind, wise eyes, and said, "Then it must be so."  
  
The amount of trust, of faith, that she put in him, rushed over Goosepaw like a wave. He straightened, his eyes shining. "We need to tell Branchstar then." He said fiercely. "We need to be waiting for RiverClan when they come. It must be about to happen."  
  
Gingerpelt nodded, and the two of them rushed out to the Highrock, and Branchstar's den.  
  
*  
  
Goosepaw watched from the undergrowth with bated breath. Gingerpelt was close beside him, but other than that, they seemed alone. But he knew that all around them were warriors of ThunderClan, waiting for the battle to begin.  
  
 _There!_ In the river, gleaming golden from the setting sun, was a streak of darkness. _Shadows with claws_. Goosepaw shuddered to himself. But it wasn't a shadow, it was a cat. More appeared in the water, propelling towards the rocks, their sleek heads wet and shining. The first leaped out of the river with scarcely a ripple, its thick fur shedding water like a duck's feathers. Goosepaw recognized the broad head and thick gray fur of Hailroar, the deputy. Then out came a dark tabby tom, and a slender silver she-cat. More came behind them - eight in all. _Not enough to take away_ our _Sunningrocks._ Goosepaw thought. He knew that lurking in the undergrowth were Lightfur, Hawkstorm, Ivystreak, Weedwhisker, Mumblefoot, Pineclaw, Moonpaw, Tawnypaw and Rookflight. Goosepaw was a little worried about his sister, but he knew that she needed to fight. She was going to be a warrior. _And besides, I'm here. I can help her._  
  
Hailroar looked about, pale eyes gleaming in the dusky light. He scented, but the wind was favoring them, along with the heavy scent of ThunderClan from the markers. The invaders started moving forward, cautiously. As the last of their battle patrol leaped from the water to the rocks, Hailroar straightened and smiled. "Looks like ThunderClan's not home." He meowed, and a few cats chuckled.  
  
Then there was a flurry of signals in the shadowy bushes - and ThunderClan pounced.  
  
Lightfur slammed into Hailroar, knocking him to the ground - he let out a grunt of shock. The dark tabby tom yowled and Weedwhisker smashed into him, snarling, his claws flying. Mumblefoot and Rookflight squared off with a big tabby tom with a blunt muzzle, who hissed and lashed out at them, his fur bushed out so that he seemed twice as large. ThunderClan streamed out of the bushes in a wave, crashing into the RiverClan invaders, sending fur and blood flying.  
  
Goosepaw watched the battle with wide eyes, rooted in spot from shock. He had never seen a battle before. It was Moonpaw's first, too, but she was fighting like TigerClan. She was latched onto the back of a ticked tabby tom who lashed about, trying to shake her. He rolled over, try to crush her, but she dashed nimbly on top of him and sent her claws slashing through his nose. The tom yowled and his paw slammed into the side of her head and she went flying - she hit the rocks, dazed. Goosepaw sprang to his paws, about to run to her aid, but then Pineclaw raced to meet the tabby tom, green eyes flashing. They met in a clash of tooth and fang and rolled, snarling and spitting.  
  
The medicine cat apprentice sank down onto his paws again. He didn't notice he was shaking until Gingerpelt laid her tail across his shoulders. "It's okay." She murmured to him. "It's okay."  
  
And he knew it was. But he was still shocked by the viciousness of the battle, even if they were warriors.  
  
Moonpaw got to her paws, nodding her thanks to Pineclaw. Then she rushed to help Tawnypaw, who was pinned by a tabby-and-white she-cat. The apprentice yowled in pain as she slashed her claws across his muzzle. Moonpaw took a flying leap, screeching, and landed with all four claws on the tabby's back. She lost her grip and rolled off, but not before she had scored long clawmarks in the tabby she-cat's side. The RiverClan warrior yowled, stumbling back as Moonpaw sank her teeth into her leg. Then she turned and fled, and Moonpaw helped Tawnypaw up. Blood dripped down his face from a deep cut across his cheek and nose. "Go see Gingerpelt and Goosepaw!" She yowled, then turned to face another RiverClan cat. Tawnypaw rushed through the battle over to the bush where Gingerpelt and Goosepaw were - as Goosepaw looked past him, he saw Moonpaw wrestling with a ginger-and-white apprentice. _Otterpaw_. He thought, a sadness echoing in his heart. _They had almost been friends at the gathering._  
  
Tawnypaw came behind the bush, and Gingerpelt went to help him. "Keep an eye on the battle, in case anyone is wounded and needs to be pulled out of there." She told Goosepaw as she started to chew a poultice for Tawnypaw's wound. Goosepaw nodded, turning back to the battle.  
  
All the warriors were fighting valiantly, but the two deputies were fighting the fiercest. They were over by the banks, and blood gleamed on the stone beneath them.  
  
Lightfur wrestled with Hailroar, throwing each other into the stone and lashing at each other's claws. They met, blow for blow, moving towards the water. Hailroar threw himself at her and knocked her to the ground, but she threw her weight upwards and slammed her head into his stomach. The air went out of him in a whoosh and he rolled off of her, stunned. Lightfur leaped on top of him, hissing, "Give up, Hailroar, Sunningrocks are ours!" She pressed her claws against his chest, her eyes blazing.  
  
Hailroar gasped for breath, his eyes flitting about. He saw Moonpaw catch her claws in Otterpaw's ear, and Mumblefoot threw the silver she-cat to the ground. His warriors were fighting hard, but they were outnumbered. Finally he gritted his teeth and yowled, "Retreat, RiverClan! Retreat!"  
  
The warriors stopped, looking up, and then they hissed and streaked away. Otterpaw snapped something at Moonpaw, who hissed back. The dark tabby tom dashed away, limping on a clawed hind-leg, and the silver tabby struggled to her paws before rushing to the water. As the warriors fled, Lightfur got off of Hailroar and let him stand.  
  
The big gray tom watched his warriors retreating, and his eyes narrowed. Lightfur lifted her chin, looking at him with a firm gaze. "Leave, Hailroar. It's over."  
  
Now it was him who lifted his chin, standing tall, his tail lashing. "It'll never be over, Lightfur, not until RiverClan has what is rightfully ours. And my name is Hail _star_."  
  
Lightfur froze, and Goosepaw gasped. The other warriors stared in shock. "Spottedstar?" Lightfur finally managed to ask.  
  
Hailstar closed his eyes. "He hunts with StarClan now." There was deep sadness in his voice. Then he opened his eyes, and they flashed. "I lead RiverClan now. And I vow that these rocks will be returned to us!" Then the big gray tom turned, diving into the river and streaking across, swift as a fish. Lightfur and the rest of the ThunderClan warriors watched him go, silent.  
  
As they started back towards camp, the victory started to set in, and everyone felt light and excited. Moonpaw and Tawnypaw started discussing who fought the biggest warrior. Mumblefoot was laughing and chattering with Weedwhisker. The joy of victory filled all of them, even Goosepaw.  
  
But he was also filled with joy for another reason - he felt that he was a true medicine cat this night. _StarClan sent me a sign_. He thought, his eyes gleaming. _They sent me a sign, and I interpreted it correctly! I helped us save Sunningrocks!_  
  
While the others discussed great moments of the battle and the best moves used, Goosepaw had never felt gladder that he wasn't a warrior. _Thank you, StarClan_. He thought, looking up between the branches at the stars that were starting to appear. _Thank you for sending the sign, and thank you for letting me be a medicine cat!_


	22. Chapter 22

Green leaves turned to rusty reds and ochers as green-leaf turned to leaf-fall. The forest became patterned with gold and brown, shining in the dawn light. The air became chill and the leaves started to fall, spiraling down to coat the earth. Mice and squirrels started storing nuts and berries, and the cats had rich hunting. Prey was running plentifully, but everyone in ThunderClan knew it wouldn't last. Leaf-bare was just beyond the last fallen leaf.  
  
Goosepaw was busy in the medicine cat's den, organizing their supplies and taking inventory. Gingerpelt had gone with Tawnypaw and Mosswing to collect herbs, especially catmint from Twolegplace. Goosepaw knew, first hand, how desperately the herb would be needed come leaf-bare.  
  
He pushed a leaf piled high with poppy seeds back into its place. "Plenty of poppy seeds." He said to himself. "We're running low on catmint and borage. I'm sure Gingerpelt knows, and she'll pick some borage while she's out. But in case she doesn't, I'll head out. Hm...maybe I can ask Weedwhisker or Poppydawn to come help me with that...we should probably get some cob nuts too..."  
  
He fluffed up his fur, yawning widely. It was a chilly day, but it was bright and sunny. He padded outside, looking around the camp. A few moons had passed since the battle against RiverClan, and things had been mostly peaceful since then. They had had a few arguments with WindClan over prey, but nothing that had sparked a battle. And ShadowClan was getting edgy along their border, what with leaf-bare growing close.  
  
Goosepaw yawned again, swiping his tongue around his jaws. Not much was going on in camp. He looked in the nursery - Swiftkit and Stonekit were looking even more excited than usual, and he smiled. Branchstar was going to make them apprentices any day now. He chuckled softly. Then he saw Littlestream, and his smile faded.  
  
She had moved into the nursery yesterday. The Clan was excited for her, and for new kits, especially since Swiftkit and Stonekit were about to leave the nursery. But Goosepaw was still suspicious about what she had been doing with Gorsetail. He had a sneaking suspicion he dare not admit, at least until he had some solid proof. But he couldn't help but wonder who the father of Littlestream's kits was - she hadn't shown any particular affection towards anyone in the Clan.  
  
Anyone in the _Clan_. Perhaps someone from another Clan...  
  
He spotted Branchstar coming out of his den, and he pushed his thoughts aside.  
  
The Clan leader leaped to the top of the Highrock, clearing his throat loudly. The warriors in camp perked up, padded forward as he made the customary call. "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"  
  
Goosepaw smiled, padding up with the rest of the Clan. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Gingerpelt come back in through the entrance tunnel, with Mosswing and her apprentice, all carrying large mouthfuls of borage and catmint. Then he turned his gaze back to the ceremony.  
  
Threestep trotted forward, nudging Swiftkit and Stonekit in front of her. Both of them had their fur groomed and they were shining with glee. Swiftkit twisted around, looking for someone, and brightened as she spotted Adderpaw sitting near the front. Since his rescue of her, she had become firmly attached to him. Adderpaw hadn't seemed to mind, which surprised Goosepaw. He himself looked around. Most of the Clan was gathered, but the sun-high patrol wasn't back yet, with Honeypelt, Bigtail, Larksong and Moonpaw.  
  
"Swiftkit, Stonekit, step forward." Rumbled Branchstar in his powerful voice.  
  
The two kits stepped forward, lifting their heads proudly. Branchstar smiled down at his kin, and continued, "This is a proud day for ThunderClan. By making kits apprentices, we show that our Clan is growing, continuing on. We show that there will be another generation of warriors to carry on after many of us are gone."  
  
Leafclaw had hobbled out of the nursery, and he nodded sagely. Pineclaw and Poppydawn smiled at their father.  
  
"Stonekit," he said, addressing his son, "From this day forward, you shall be known as Stonepaw." He looked up, and his eyes singled out a ruddy red tom. "Pineclaw, you shall mentor Stonepaw. You are a strong and fierce warrior, with wisdom beyond your youth. May you pass on these traits to Stonepaw."  
  
Pineclaw looked stunned at being made a mentor, but he dipped his head and stepped forward to the young gray tom, touching noses with him. Branchstar nodded approvingly, then turned to his daughter. "Swiftkit, from this day forward, you shall be known as Swiftpaw." He looked up and nodded to Weedwhisker, who was sitting near the front. "Weedwhisker, you are solid and straight-forward, a loyal warrior. You shall mentor Swiftpaw. May you train her well."  
  
The ginger tom dipped his head, pleased, and stepped forward to touch noses with Swiftpaw. Goosepaw nodded to himself. _Weedwhisker and Pineclaw are fine choices for mentors. Pineclaw will teach Stonepaw how to be fierce, and Weedwhisker will help calm down Swiftpaw!_  
  
The Clan started to call out the two new apprentice's names. "Swiftpaw! Stonepaw! Swiftpaw! Stonepaw!" Goosepaw joined in, echoing the chant. He felt relieved that Swiftpaw was finally an apprentice - now she would be busy with apprentice duties, and she could leave his tail alone!  
  
Swiftpaw beamed proudly, and her mother licked her brother and her. Stonepaw was glowing with excitement too. Swiftpaw bounded over to Adderpaw, who congratulated her warmly. Stonepaw started talking to Pineclaw, who laughed at his enthusiasm. Then, as the chant fell silent and the cats started to disperse, a cat raced in through the entrance tunnel. "Gingerpelt!"  
  
Goosepaw sat up, surprised. It was Moonpaw - she looked wild. Gingerpelt immediately got to her paws and rushed over - so did Goosepaw. "What's wrong?" Gingerpelt asked.  
  
Moonpaw gulped for breath. "It's Larksong - during our patrol, we stopped to hunt, and Larksong went after a squirrel, but the branch broke beneath her-"  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"Coming." Moonpaw shook her head, ears flat against her head. "Honeypelt and Bigtail are carrying her. She can't walk - she landed on her leg, hard, and she can't walk!"  
  
Goosepaw's ears flattened against his own head, and Gingerpelt nodded, her face serious. "Come on, Goosepaw. Let's help them carry her to the medicine cat's den." He nodded, and they streaked out of the tunnel.  
  
 _Rushes to bind it in place - poppy seeds for pain - check along the leg, compare with a healthy leg, to see where the break is_. Goosepaw ran the information through his mind, his breath harried. Soon he spotted the rest of the sun-high patrol coming. Bigtail had was carrying Larksong by the scruff, dragging her awkwardly, while Honeypelt helped lift her leg off the ground so it wouldn't drag. The dappled she-cat looked unconscious, which was good, otherwise she'd be in a lot of pain. Even from here, Goosepaw could see her leg was bent awkwardly at a weird angle.  
  
He and Gingerpelt raced up to them, then helped to carry her back to camp.  
  
They settled her down in a nest in the medicine cat den. She started to come to, gasping at the pain. Gingerpelt examined her leg while Goosepaw pulled out the rushes and some poppy seeds. "What - what happened?" Larksong gasped, her body shuddering with pain.  
  
Gingerpelt nosed gently along her leg. "Moonpaw says you were hunting a squirrel, and the branch broke beneath you. It appears you have broken your leg." She looked up, frowning. "Goosepaw, lay down for me, like Larksong."  
  
He obeyed immediately, dropping onto his side and sticking out of his leg. Gingerpelt looked between them and nodded. "Yes, it's broken. Thank you, Goosepaw. Get me those rushes and a good straight stick."  
  
He nodded, dashing outside. He found a long, sturdy stick and carried it back to the den. Most of the Clan had heard the news by now. Mosswing and Bigtail were over by the warrior's den, looking anxious, but Mumblefoot was hovering by the entrance to the medicine cat den, looking desperate. Goosepaw shouldered past him and the scruffy tom didn't even snap at him. Goosepaw carried the stick inside and gave it to Gingerpelt.  
  
She nodded, turning back to Larksong. "Take a few poppy seeds. It'll help the pain."  
  
She nodded, lapping at the seeds. As they started to work, her eyelids began to droop. "Alright." Gingerpelt said. "Larksong, I need to straighten your leg in order to set it. It's going to hurt, even with the seeds, but you can't move. Understand?"  
  
Larksong nodded, but she looked frightened. Goosepaw padded over to her, sitting down beside her. "It's okay." He said. "I'll be right here - it'll be okay." He licked her ears, comforting her like he had once comforted Threestep.  
  
She looked at him gratefully, and he put his paw on her shoulder.  
  
Gingerpelt put her paws lightly on Larksong's leg. "Are you ready?"  
  
Larksong nodded, gritting her teeth. "I'm ready." She said.  
  
The ginger healer nodded, then grabbed Larksong's leg. She pulled it out straight, and Larksong gasped. She dug her claws into the side of the nest, and Goosepaw tightened his paw on her shoulder. To his surprise she turned her face and pressed it against his leg, and he comforted her while Gingerpelt set her leg. She got the bone into place again and tied the stick to it with the rushes to keep it straight.  
  
Finally Gingerpelt finished. "You did great, Larksong. Good job, Goosepaw." She said, smiling at him.  
  
He nodded. Larksong was drowsing off from the poppy seeds, her claws sheathing again. She moved her head away from him and smiled sleepily at him. "Thanks, Goosepaw." She murmured.  
  
"You're welcome." He said. He noticed how pretty her eyes were - such a deep shade of green. Then she closed her eyes, laying her head against the side of the nest.  
  
"Let her sleep." Mewed Gingerpelt softly. "She needs all the rest she can get." She padded towards the front of the den, putting the extra rushes away, and Goosepaw followed her.  
  
"So will her leg heal?" He asked.  
  
"It should." Gingerpelt blinked. "Larksong is young and strong. It'll heal fine, as long as she lets it rest. She shouldn't try to move it or walk on it for at least a half-moon, and she'll need to stay in our den for at least a moon before she returns to her warrior duties. Maybe longer."  
  
Goosepaw looked over his shoulder at Larksong, now sleeping soundly in her nest. He was glad that he was able to help her when she was suffering - that's what medicine cats did. He thought of the gratitude her saw in her eyes. Those pretty green eyes.  
  
 _I promise you'll get better, Larksong. I'll make sure of it._


	23. Chapter 23

As the moon waned and waxed, the leaves fell thicker, frost choked the grass, and then snow carpeted it. Leaf-fall turned to leaf-bare, and Goosepaw and Larksong became close friends.  
  
Because she was stuck in the medicine cat den, he would spend time with her, making sure she was comfy and keeping her company. So that she wouldn't be bored, he told stories and made her laugh. In turn, she told him funny stories about times when she was a kit or an apprentice. It was warm and cozy in the medicine cat's den, and Goosepaw found he loved spending time with her.  
  
"So then," she said, "Weedkit said that he could climb on top of the nursery. I said he couldn't. But when he tried, he _did_ manage to get on top of it - and broke right through, landing right on Mosswing's head!"  
  
Goosepaw laughed. Gingerpelt was over in the nursery, looking over Littlestream, so Goosepaw was double-checking their inventory while he kept Larksong company. "That sounds more like something Mumblefoot would do." He laughed.  
  
She batted at his tail, a twinkle in her eye. "Oh, give Weedwhisker some credit. When we were kits, he got in twice as much trouble as Mumblefoot."  
  
"Only half as much as you, I presume."  
  
She growled, but she was smiling good-naturedly. "Ha ha, Goosepaw. I'm sure you got into your fair share of trouble as a kit too."  
  
He shook his head, adopting a lofty look. "No, I was too wise and mature to get in trouble."  
  
"So you were a stick-in-the-mud?"  
  
He swiped at her nose, grinning. "Har har."  
  
Larksong laughed, and then rested her chin on the edge of her nest. She had been in the medicine cat's den for a half-moon now. Goosepaw had been to the Moonstone again in that time, and Milkpaw had had his full healer ceremony. He was Milkfur now. Goosepaw was proud of his friend, but had felt distracted the whole time. He hadn't dreamed of much, and neither had Gingerpelt. But the whole time he had thought about Larksong, wondering if she was alright, if she needed anything…  
  
"You know what?" She said.  
  
"Hm?" He counted a pile of alder leaves, distracted.  
  
"I'm really grateful you've been so nice to me."  
  
He looked up, smiling, and pushed the leaves back into their slot. "Hey, it's what I do. I'm a medicine cat, remember?"  
  
She shook her head. She lay in her nest, her dappled fur glowing in the light reflected from snow outside. "No, you've done more than that. You don't see Gingerpelt spending time with me."  
  
"Well…she's busier than me."  
  
"You make time to keep me company." She pointed out, eyes twinkling. "Anyway, I'm really grateful for that. I'd be so bored and lonely without you here."  
  
A flush crept up the back of Goosepaw's neck, making the fur stand on end. He looked away, tail twitching. "Aw, Mumblefoot visits you."  
  
She tilted her head and sighed. "But he has his warrior duties to attend to, too."  
  
He snorted. "I bet he thinks I'm lazy for spending so much time with you."  
  
Larksong frowned. "No, he's grateful to you too, Goosepaw. He knows how lonely I'd be."  
  
"He'd never say that to my face."  
  
She sighed exasperatedly. "Come on, Goosepaw, Mumblefoot's one of my closest friends. But you are, too. Can't you be a little nicer to him?"  
  
He was about to make a scathing comment about _Mumblefoot_ being nicer to _him_ , but then he saw the pleading look in Larksong's face. He hesitated, and then nodded. "Okay, Larksong. I'll try to be nicer to him." He paused, then added with a grin, "Even if he _is_ a grumpy furball."  
  
Larksong blinked, and then laughed. "Okay, I won't deny that." She chuckled.  
  
Goosepaw slid another pile of herbs back into its place, looked over the shelves, and nodded to himself. Then he padded over to Larksong's nest sitting beside her. "You know, I'm not just spending time with you because--you know--I'm supposed to," He said, haltingly. "I mean - I'm _not_ supposed to - wait, I mean, it's not _required_ , but…" He shook his head and growled, "Oh, I just like spending time with you too, Larksong. You're funny and nice."  
  
She looked at him with her bright green eyes. Goosepaw marveled at them - they weren't quite as green as leaves, but were a more subtle shade. They were _awfully_ pretty. "I don't think I've ever had a friend like you, Larksong." He said.  
  
"Besides Moonpaw." She replied, tilting her head.  
  
He smiled wanly. "Moonpaw's my sister, so yeah, she is my friend. But none of the other cats my age…I mean, there's Milkfur in RiverClan, but he's from another Clan, so you can't _really_ be close friends with them. I guess…" He struggled to find the right words. _When did having a friend start feeling so awkward?_ "I guess…I'm just glad you're my friend, Larksong."  
  
She craned her neck and licked his ear. "I'm glad you're my friend too, Goosepaw."  
  
The flush crept up his neck again. He was about to say something else, but then he heard Gingerpelt calling. "Goosepaw! I need you to bring some prey for Littlestream!"  
  
His ears drooped, but he smiled at Larksong. "I'll be right back." He mewed. She nodded, and he trotted outside into the snow.  
  
His paws squeaked against the slush, and he frowned to himself as he went over to the fresh-kill pile. It was low, as was becoming the usual. He pawed through it, trying to find a good piece of prey for the queen. _What's up with me, about Larksong?_ He thought, frowning, his brow furrowed. _She's my best friend now. I_ do _spend an awful lot of time with her…but why do I get so tongue-tied around her? It makes me seem silly._  
  
He pulled out a mouse, the scent dulled by the frosty air. He turned, looking at the nursery. _Littlestream…I wonder if Gorsetail really is the father. I still can't really believe Littlestream would take a mate from another Clan, but…it's all so suspicious._  
  
As he padded over, thinking about Littlestream and her mysterious mate, suddenly he stopped. A thought flew into his head. _Larksong - I don't_ like _her, do I?_ Like her _, like her?_ He shook his head furiously. _No - no. She's just my friend. My best friend! And I get tongue-tied around everyone from time to time. Branchstar, and Silverheart…I'm a medicine cat! We don't_ like _like anyone!_  
  
He carried the mouse in to Littlestream, dipping his head to Gingerpelt, and the doubt retreated in his mind. But it didn't disappear.  
  
He dropped the mouse in front of Littlestream and she smiled gratefully at him. Suddenly he heard a cry from outside. Gingerpelt looked up, concerned, and so did Littlestream. Gingerpelt and Goosepaw moved to the entrance of the nursery, looking out to see what was going on.  
  
The dawn patrol was running into the tunnel, led by Rookflight and Ashstripe. Tawnypaw, Stonepaw and Pineclaw skidded in behind them, sending up clouds of snow. "Branchstar!" Ashstripe yelled again.  
  
Branchstar bounded out of his den, his green and yellow eyes fierce. "What's going on, Ashstripe?"  
  
The dark tabby she-cat looked livid. "WindClan is stealing our prey!"  
  
Goosepaw's eyes widened. Branchstar looked grim. "Are you sure?" He meowed.  
  
Pineclaw nodded to Stonepaw. The young apprentice padded forward, looking nervous. He dropped a wad of moss on the snow - it gleamed scarlet, like juniper berries. Blood. "I found mouse blood on our side of the border - but smell it." He meowed.  
  
Branchstar sniffed at the moss. By now many of the other warriors had gathered. Lightfur stood beside her leader, her face unreadable. Finally Branchstar straightened and nodded, his face like thunder. "It smells of WindClan."  
  
"They usually try to steal our prey in leaf-bare, since their own prey runs so thin." Said Lightfur, scowling.  
  
"But that doesn't mean we'll allow it, will we?" cried Adderpaw, flexing his claws.  
  
The big tabby leader shook his head. "Of course not. We'll take this to the border. When a patrol comes, we'll _make_ them leave our prey alone!"  
  
A cheer went up from the warriors. Goosepaw twisted around to see Littlestream's reaction. Her ears were flat against her head and she crouched against the ground. She looked as though she had been struck. Goosepaw frowned, and she looked away, mumbling something about worrying about Ivystreak.  
  
Goosepaw turned away. Littlestream was definitely hiding something. He only hoped it wasn't what he thought it was - a dark tabby tom from WindClan.


	24. Chapter 24

The warriors marched to the battle, pelts rustling, eyes bright and claws unsheathed. Goosepaw and Gingerpelt walked beside them, carrying herbs they would need. The air was icy cold and a slicing wind shook their bones as they walked. Goosepaw shivered, pressing closer to Gingerpelt for warmth.  
  
Branchstar led the patrol. Threestep walked close beside him - from here, Goosepaw couldn't even see her twisted foot or notice her limp. He remembered Larksong saying that she had gotten caught by a fox when she was an apprentice, twisting her foot like that. She had never let it slow her down - let _anything_ slow her down. When Branchstar had been arranging the battle patrol, she had wanted to come, even though she had only recently become a warrior again. Goosepaw looked around. A lot of warriors had requested to come, too many for Branchstar to bring them all. Sweetbriar walked near the front, with Poppydawn. Tawnypaw, Adderpaw, and Moonpaw were here, along with Hawkstorm, Yarrowtail, Mosswing, and Mumblefoot.  
  
Another warrior walked with them, one that surprised Goosepaw. Ivystreak trotted beside Yarrowtail, her sleek black fur speckled with snow. _Littlestream's sister_. Ivystreak had volunteered to fight as well. Goosepaw felt concerned about it, but said nothing. _I have to trust my Clanmates_. He thought, even if that wasn't what he felt.  
  
His paws sank deep in the snow, and he hissed in annoyance around the bundle of herbs. The trees started to thin, and before long he saw the slick surface of the creek. It was frozen over, but Branchstar didn't take chances. He vaulted across, paws slipping in the snow slightly, and continued on. The rest of the warriors leaped across as well, thudding into the snow on the other side. Goosepaw nearly slipped and fell onto the ice, but Tawnypaw caught his scruff and helped him up. He nodded gratefully to the apprentice.  
  
They went down the ridge to the clearing of Fourtrees. The trees looked so different, covered in snow. They passed underneath them and continued on to where they could smell the WindClan scent markers. Musky, earthy scent stung his nostrils, despite the sharp smell of the herbs he was carrying. He and Gingerpelt fell back, finding a good spot in the shelter of Fourtrees to. He sat down, scraping snow clear of the grass, and setting his herbs in the dip. Here they would wait for warriors to be injured, and then they could help them.  
  
Branchstar stood on the WindClan side of the border, the wind tugging and ruffling his fur. In his jaws, he carried the moss with the mouse blood and WindClan scent on it. Stonepaw was back at camp, guarding it. He and Swiftpaw had been left out of the battle party, despite their protests. Branchstar was not about to put two new apprentices into a battle with no battle training. _Especially his own kin._  
  
The other warriors waited, tense, as the wind whipped around them. Moonpaw shivered and huddled close to Tawnypaw and Adderpaw. All three of them looked more like warriors than apprentices nowadays. Adderpaw was tall and broad-shouldered, Tawnypaw more lean, and Moonpaw was slender and beautiful. Goosepaw frowned. He hoped they'd be alright.  
  
Then he saw them - coming up the hill. Specks of dark pelts against the snow. Goosepaw's fur stood on edge and he hissed softly. WindClan warriors.  
  
There were five of them, but as they approached, more came. Goosepaw's eyes narrowed as he started to recognize some of them. He saw Heatherlight, her blue eyes fierce. Runningtail was there, too, but he didn't look at all pleasant now. His teeth were bared in a snarl. He saw a black-and-white warrior who he recalled being called Halfpelt, and a pure white tom who was hard to see against the snow. There was a small light-brown tabby tom, probably an apprentice, and a dark brown pelt he definitely recognized. _Hawkpaw_. He thought, his ears flattening. But he kept scanning the patrol coming towards them for one cat - and then he saw him. A dark gray tabby tom; Gorsetail.  
  
Goosepaw's gaze flickered to Ivystreak. She didn't seem to react. _Maybe she doesn't know any more about Littlestream than I do_. He thought, frowning.  
  
But then the white tom, who was leading the patrol, stepped forward. He was thin and lean, with short fur, and his ears were flat against his head. "What are you doing, Branchstar?" He snapped, yellow eyes flashing dangerously. "This is WindClan land!"  
  
Branchstar's eyes narrowed. Then he tossed the moss forward - it plopped into the snow. "Yes, and _this_ is the blood of ThunderClan prey. Explain to me why it reeks of WindClan's claws!"  
  
Angry hissing erupted on both sides of the warriors. Goosepaw saw the WindClan cats moving, shifting - it was subtle, but they were arranging themselves in a line, to defend their territory easier.  
  
The white tom looked at the moss, then looked up, sneering. "An old scrap of moss and blood is hardly evidence, Branchstar."  
  
"The word of my warriors and your obvious handiwork is evidence enough for me." The ThunderClan leader spat. "Your Clan is nothing but a den of thieves, and it's time you learned not to steal from ThunderClan!" He lashed his tail - the signal to battle - and with a screech, both sides flung themselves at each other. Claw met claw, and the battle began in earnest.  
  
Goosepaw was more prepared for the shock of the battle now, after the battle against RiverClan. He scanned the fighting, trying to spot any warriors in need of medical help. He saw Branchstar tussling with the white tom, slashing his claws at the tom's belly. Sweetbriar and Poppydawn were fighting Halfpelt, dodging his lashing attacks trying to catch him with their own claws as he darted about. He wasn't fast enough for two of them, though, and their claws and teeth soon brought him down in the snow, snarling and writhing as he fought them. Goosepaw watched as Tawnypaw fought the light brown apprentice. He leaped on top of him, grabbing his scruff, and heaved him over onto his side. The little tom squealed in pain, and Tawnypaw got off of him. Blood streaked the apprentice's pelt, and he turned and ran, vanishing into the snow and hills. Tawnypaw yowled something after him, but Goosepaw couldn't catch it.  
  
Moonpaw and Adderpaw were both fighting Hawkpaw. He was strong, and tough. He slashed at them, snarling, and they danced away. Moonpaw's muzzle was bleeding, but not enough to stop her from fighting. She hissed, ducking as Hawkpaw tried to claw her, and Adderpaw took the opportunity to jump the WindClan apprentice, bowling him over. They rolled in the snow, snapping at each other, sending spots of blood across the ice, bright as holly berries.  
  
Yarrowtail and Mosswing were fighting Heatherlight, and Threestep was underneath Runningtail, kicking furiously at his belly with her hind legs. He snapped at her throat but missed, sinking his teeth deep into her shoulder, and she yowled. Ivystreak bounded over, leaping onto Runningtail and clawing him off of her. Blood ran down Threestep's shoulder, but she turned and leaped onto Runningtail as well. Goosepaw watched the battle, his fur bristling. Hopefully the fight would be over soon - WindClan was outnumbered.  
  
The white tom kicked Branchstar off, but Mumblefoot ran to help his leader, and the two of them took on the white warrior. Runningtail howled from the onslaught of Ivystreak and Threestep. He broke free from under them, snapping at Threestep's bad leg. She went down in the snow, and screeching, Ivystreak flung herself at Runningtail. Goosepaw was on his feet, claws sinking into the frozen grass. "Threestep!" He cried.  
  
Then Gorsetail leaped in between Runningtail and Ivystreak, and she crashed into him. They fought in earnest, rolling and slashing at one another, hissing and spitting. She slashed her claws at his face but he twisted, and instead she clawed through his ear. Her claws came away bloody, and his ear came away with a deep nick. They rolled, and then, suddenly, Ivystreak was on top of him. She reared back, ready to deal a devastating blow - but then she froze.  
  
Goosepaw's eyes widened.  
  
It all happened so fast. Ivystreak hesitated, and then she leaped _over_ Gorsetail, instead rushing to help the apprentices fighting Hawkpaw. The big dark gray tom got to his paws, but rather than run, he returned to the battle.  
  
 _She let him go_. Goosepaw's ears flattened against his head. _She let him go!_  
  
But then, all of a sudden, everything went wrong.  
  
Over the hill came more warriors, swift as the wind, throwing themselves into the fight with wild ferocity. They were led by a brown she-cat he recognized as Tabbystripe, the WindClan deputy. Now it was ThunderClan that was outnumbered. Goosepaw watched, horrified, as the ThunderClan warriors started to fall back. Tabbystripe ran to the white warrior's aid, yelling, "Whiteberry!" And then she threw herself on Branchstar, snarling, and he skidded back in the snow. A lean gray tom bowled over Sweetbriar, and Poppydawn found herself fighting with a vicious dark ginger apprentice. The light brown apprentice entered the battle again - _he must have gone for help_ , Goosepaw realized, feeling sick.  
  
A dark brown she-cat hissed, crashing into Mosswing, and a golden apprentice started slashing at Moonpaw and Tawnypaw, helping Hawkpaw. Ivystreak was thrown in the snow by a light tabby she-cat, and she yowled in pain. Halfpelt roared and threw himself into the battle with renewed vigor, as did Heatherlight and the others. Sweetbriar screeched as the gray warrior tore at her scruff, blood pulsing on the ground. Then Yarrowtail managed to fight off the gray warrior, but Sweetbriar tried and failed to get up, gasping.  
  
"She needs help!" Goosepaw cried. He rushed to his paws, and so did Gingerpelt. But then a yowl went up, louder than the others, and he froze.  
  
"Retreat, ThunderClan!" yowled Branchstar in a strangled voice, Tabbystripe on top of him. He shoved her off, shaking the snow off his pelt, but blood dripped from his throat and chest. " _Retreat!_ "  
  
The battle was frozen in place for a few terrible moments. Then ThunderClan retreated.  
  
Ivystreak and Poppydawn helped Sweetbriar up. Her back was covered in blood and she looked dazed. They supported her as they walked away. Runningtail got off of Threestep, his face dark, and Branchstar rushed over to his mate. He helped her to her paws - she was shaking, limping badly on her injured leg. Mumblefoot helped him with her. Many of their warriors were injured - Moonpaw's muzzle was bloody, and Mosswing's ear was torn and blood ran down her face.  
  
Whiteberry was covered in blood, some his and some Branchstar's, but he managed to sneer at the warriors as they walked away. "Remember this day when you think about attacking WindClan warriors!" He spat after them. Hawkpaw hissed after them too, his yellow eyes bright with their victory.  
  
Goosepaw felt sick to his stomach. _We…we lost. We really lost._  
  
As they started the long trip back to camp, Goosepaw watched Threestep struggle along beside Branchstar, and Sweetbriar sagging between Poppydawn and Ivystreak. He feared that they hadn't just lost the battle - but that they would lose a lot more than that.  
  
The bitter wind cut through him, and Goosepaw felt cold, inside and out.


	25. Chapter 25

Despite the medicine cats' best efforts, Sweetbriar died later that day.  
  
Threestep didn't last the night.  
  
Goosepaw watched from the medicine cat den, feeling hollow inside. The two she-cats lay out in the clearing, in the pure white snow, their paws curled beneath them as though they were sleeping. But they weren't sleeping - they were gone, racing the stars. _They shouldn't have died_. Goosepaw thought, his ears hanging low as his spirits. _Threestep's kits only just became apprentices - and now she's in StarClan._  
  
Poppydawn, Pineclaw and Leafclaw were curled around Sweetbriar, the wind ruffling their fur. A light snow was falling now, speckling their fur. Even though it was late at night, the snow made it light as day. Goosepaw could see all of them, gathered around their fallen Clanmates. Mosswing was curled beside Sweetbriar's tortoiseshell fur, too. They were sisters. Yarrowtail lay beside her, Honeypelt beside him. Rookflight pressed her muzzle into Threestep's tabby fur, grieving for her own littermate. Swiftpaw and Stonepaw were curled up beside their mother as well. They looked so very small. They looked like kits, not apprentices. Adderpaw, Tawnypaw and Ashstripe paid vigil to Threestep as well. But one cat took up Goosepaw's gaze as he watched the cats in the snow.  
  
Branchstar, big, powerful Branchstar, sat hunched over Threestep's body. Even from here, even in the whirling snow, Goosepaw could see his leader's shoulders shaking as he cried.  
  
Goosepaw remembered when Swiftpaw and Stonepaw were born. He remembered the love that had flowed between Branchstar, Threestep, and their kits. He remembered Sweetbriar when he was a kit, always being kind, laughing at the other kits antics. Memories seemed to pile up inside of him, and yet he felt so empty.  
  
Gingerpelt padded up behind him. She followed his gaze, and her ears drooped. "Come on." She murmured, touching his shoulder. "It's late. You need to sleep."  
  
He nodded mutely. He turned away from the grieving cats, padding into the dark of the medicine cat den.  
  
He passed Larksong. He noticed silver gleaming on her face - and he stopped. She was asleep, but she had been crying. Goosepaw looked down at her, at her pretty dappled fur and the silver tracks on her face for a moment. He wished she were awake. They could laugh, and cheer each other up, and even grieve together…but she wasn't awake.  
  
The medicine cat apprentice turned and stepped into his nest, curling up in the moss. He was so tired. He laid his head against the side of the nest, and realized, dimly, that his face was wet. Maybe it was melting snow…or maybe it was tears. He couldn't tell. Then he stopped wondering, as everything drifted away and he fell asleep.  
  
That night, Goosepaw dreamed. He dreamed as medicine cats dream.  
  
He was walking beside a stream. It was much smaller than the creek in their own territory. It was hardly a tail-length across. He walked beside it on pebbles and through grass. The air was warm and pleasant, and he felt comforted from the echoes of grief in his spirit.  
  
Then the ground grew more tangled. He stepped on a thorn and yelped. He looked forward in dismay - brambles and thorns started to grow, stretching vines all along the banks, down into the stream, arching over it. In moments the stream was engulfed in gorse, and Goosepaw could go no farther. The stream wasn't a comforting place anymore. He felt betrayed.  
  
Then light shone on his face, and he woke up.  
  
It was early, early morning. Goosepaw lifted his head, blinking owlishly, and looked around. Gingerpelt was asleep in her nest, and so was Larksong. He smiled at both of them, then stood and stretched. Outside, it had stopped snowing, and he could see that the vigil had ended for Threestep and Sweetbriar. He supposed, sadly, that Branchstar and the others were out burying them now. Thin dawn light made the snow shine.  
  
Goosepaw shook his head, trying to clear the sleep from it. He felt as though he had had an unsettling dream…he frowned, trying to remember.  
  
Then, all of a sudden, it came rushing back. _The stream. The gorse_. Ice clutched inside of him, cold as the leaf-bare wind. _I know what it means…of course I do. I just wish it weren't so_. He thought.  
  
StarClan had finally answered his questions about Littlestream and the tabby warrior from WindClan. Her meeting him, her fear at the mention of the battle, her unborn kits, Ivystreak letting Gorsetail go. _A thicket of gorse, surrounding a stream_. Littlestream was mates with Gorsetail. She had broken the warrior code.  
  
Goosepaw felt awful. But StarClan had given him a dream, so that he would know for sure. If they had done so, then he _had_ to tell Gingerpelt, and even Branchstar. One of his warriors was being disloyal. He had to know.  
  
The apprentice walked over to Gingerpelt with a heavy heart.  
  
He woke up Gingerpelt, and slowly, he told her. He told her everything he had seen, suspected, and finally ended with the dream that StarClan had given him. Gingerpelt looked shocked, and sad. But she agreed that Branchstar needed to know, for the Clan's sake. "You did the right thing, by telling me." She told Goosepaw.  
  
 _Then why do I feel so wrong?_  
  
He followed Gingerpelt and they left the medicine cat den. Goosepaw looked up - the sky was clear and beautiful. But he knew a storm was coming - a storm of lies being brought to daylight. His tail dragged in the snow as they padded over to the Highrock. Gingerpelt pushed aside the lichen curtain and they went inside.  
  
Branchstar was curled up near the far edge of his den. _He must have finished burying Threestep earlier_ , thought Goosepaw. He looked up as the two cats approached, and he scowled, but it was weak. He looked sorrowful rather than angry. "What is it, Gingerpelt?" He asked, blinking his yellow and green eyes.  
  
 _Do we have to tell him now? So soon after he's lost Threestep? It seems cruel_. Goosepaw's head hung low. _But of course we do. StarClan sent the dream now. Not tomorrow._  
  
"Goosepaw has had a dream - and much more than that." Gingerpelt said, sadly.  
  
Branchstar sat up, and his strength returned to him. He looked more like a leader than a grieving tom now. "Tell me." He growled.  
  
Goosepaw closed his eyes. Then he whispered, "Littlestream is mates with Gorsetail, of WindClan."  
  
 _"What?!"_  
  
The whole story came out, again, ending with Goosepaw describing his dream and what it meant. He hoped that Branchstar wouldn't be too upset about it. There was enough sadness in the Clan this day. He looked up at his leader, blinking, as he finished.  
  
To his shock, Branchstar didn't look upset. He looked _livid._  
  
The big tom shouldered past them, and Gingerpelt and Goosepaw looked at each other, stunned. Then they hurried out after him.  
  
The leader of ThunderClan leaped up to the top of the Highrock. His call sounded more like a battle yowl. "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" He snarled. His eyes were gleaming slits of fury.  
  
Goosepaw watched the sleepy warriors coming out of their dens, looking confused. He saw Ivystreak limping up, a poultice on her flank. Branchstar saw her, too, and he hissed. "Ivystreak!" He growled.  
  
She looked up, startled. "Y-yes, Branchstar?"  
  
"Get your sister."  
  
Goosepaw could see it as Ivystreak's fur stood on end, her hackles rising without thinking. She shrank back, just a little, and fear flashed in her eyes. Branchstar's face was like thunder. It all happened in a moment - no one else noticed her reaction. But then she dipped her head and padded over to the nursery. Littlestream was looking out, her pale fur like dun against the snow. She looked frightened.  
  
 _She should be._  
  
Finally the Clan was gathered. Those who had held vigil looked weary and dazed with sadness. Pineclaw and Poppydawn leaned against one another, eyes hollow. Leafclaw didn't come out of the elder's den, but he watched from there. Swiftpaw and Stonepaw looked up at their father. Mumblefoot and the other warriors who had fought in the battle looked terribly weary too. All of the cats looked confused by the early meeting. Lightfur sat beside the Highrock, stifling a yawn.  
  
Goosepaw didn't feel tired. He had never felt more awake.  
  
Then Ivystreak walked up with Littlestream, sitting near the back. Branchstar's voice crackled with anger as he said, "Littlestream, step forward."  
  
She looked at her sister, her ears flat against her head. The warriors watched her, puzzled. Ivystreak closed her eyes and jerked her head in a nod. She licked her sister's cheek, and then the two of them stepped forward.  
  
"Littlestream," Branchstar growled, "I charge you with a terrible sin before the warrior code. StarClan has revealed your treachery, and soon it will be revealed to all. You, Littlestream, took a mate from WindClan! Do you deny it?"  
  
Gasps of shock and horror raced from mouth to mouth of the gathered cats, and all eyes were trained on Littlestream. Honeypelt stared at her, as if wishing her to deny it. Rookflight looked horrified. Her claws unsheathed - Goosepaw didn't think she noticed. The small white and gray cat hunched against the ground, her tail curled protectively around her large belly. Finally she looked up, and there was strength in her eyes. "I do not."  
  
Hisses and cries crackled on the air from the warriors of ThunderClan. Goosepaw saw Adderpaw snarl, hackles raised. Mumblefoot snarled, and Weedwhisker spit, his fur on end. Hawkstorm looked shocked, and angry. Branchstar lashed his tail, calling for silence. When it was quiet, he looked back down at Littlestream. "You endangered your Clan, and you betrayed us." He spat. "You turned your back on everything you ever knew. You even let your sister throw the fight against WindClan. It's because of you that Threestep and Sweetbriar are dead!" Pain was in his face now, as well as fury. "What have you to say for yourself?"  
  
Littlestream was trembling slightly. Ivystreak leaned against her, quieting her, and the black she-cats face was angry too. Then the queen looked up and meowed, "I never meant to hurt anyone. I just…" She shook her head. "I love him, Branchstar. Gorsetail is a good cat, and a fine warrior, and it's not our fault that he was born in another Clan! It isn't my fault, or Ivystreak's fault, that Threestep and Sweetbriar died. That was WindClan, not us. If Ivystreak had attacked or killed Gorsetail, it wouldn't have changed anything!"  
  
Branchstar's eyes narrowed, and his claws unsheathed. "You deny that your disloyalty brought about their deaths." He hissed. "And yet you say that you love one of _them_. You love one of a Clan of murderers! You might as well have killed Threestep yourself!"  
  
"No!" Littlestream shook her head. "Gorsetail is different, Branchstar. I grieve for Threestep and Sweetbriar as much as any cat. I am still a loyal ThunderClan cat. But I love Gorsetail, and nothing can change that." She lifted her chin. "And I will gladly bear his kits. They will be fine warriors someday, warriors to be proud of."  
  
Goosepaw watched, and he couldn't help but be impressed. Littlestream may be a traitor to her Clan - but she was as brave as any of them. Maybe braver.  
  
The leader of ThunderClan stood tall on the Highrock. His eyes flashed like lightning. "You do not deny your crimes, and you even have the _gall_ to be proud of them." He snarled. "Then I will give you your sentence for your crime, Littlestream."  
  
He paused, and a distant wind moaned. Then he spat viciously, "You are not ThunderClan anymore! _Get out!"_


	26. Chapter 26

"No!"  
  
Ivystreak stepped forward, pelt bristling. "No, Branchstar, you can't do that!" Littlestream was crouching against the snow, eyes wide and ears flat in fear. Goosepaw's breath caught in his throat. _Exiled from ThunderClan? I know she's a traitor to the Clan, but…_  
  
Branchstar sat down on the Highrock. His face was stony. The Clan looked around at each other, startled. Hawkstorm and Weedwhisker looked satisfied, and they nodded approvingly. Mumblefoot and Adderpaw looked at each other, concerned. Rookflight was looking at the two sisters - she looked as if she had been struck in the face. Moonpaw and Tawnypaw looked upset. Lightfur looked up at Branchstar, and frowned. She looked concerned too. Ivystreak took another step forward. Her eyes shone with desperation. "Branchstar, _please_. You can't exile her! She's my sister!"  
  
He looked away, snarling softly, "If the traitor matters so much to you, then you can leave with her."  
  
Ivystreak's hackles were raised. Her plea turned to anger. "How dare you!" She hissed. "Littlestream and I were raised in this Clan from birth. You made us apprentices, you watched us become warriors, you fought by our side in countless battles! But _now_ you choose to throw us out in the snow, because my sister commited the _crime_ of falling in love."  
  
"She loves a cat from a different Clan."  
  
"So? We're all cats, aren't we?"  
  
"They are our _enemies!_ " He spat, his fur on end.  
  
"But _not_ Gorsetail!" Ivystreak shook her head. "I have no doubt in my mind that Gorsetail loves my sister, and she loves him. What if Threestep were born in a different Clan, Branchstar? What if you knew her as well as you did, but a line made of scent separated you? Would that have stopped you, Branchstar?"  
  
He hesitated, and her eyes flashed. Then he straightened and growled, "Threestep was ThunderClan. It's useless to imagine otherwise, because she was not. She lived loyal to her Clan to the end, unlike you."  
  
The fire in his gaze finally dampened Ivystreak's, and she looked away. Branchstar said, "You have until sun-high to leave our territory, Littlestream, and if Ivystreak accompanies you, that is her choice. But if you are not gone by sun-high, you will be treated as an intruder and driven out." He lifted his head, looking towards the dawn sky tinged with pink. His eyes found a single star that had yet to fade with day.  
  
"This is my command," He stated loudly, eyes on the star. "So say I before StarCl-"  
  
"WAIT!"  
  
Goosepaw jumped to his paws, startled, and many of the warriors whirled around. Through the entrance tunnel came a cat. He struggled getting through the tight tunnel in the brambles, grunting, and then he stepped through. His fur was speckled and tufted with snow, but he shook it off - and Goosepaw sucked in a breath.  
  
It was Gorsetail.  
  
Silverheart came in behind him, and dipped her head to the thunderstruck Branchstar. "I apologize, Branchstar." She meowed, looking uneasily at the WindClan warrior. "He came requesting an audience with you, and refused to leave unless he could speak with you."  
  
Gorsetail was looking around. As cats glared at him threateningly, his hackles started to rise. He swallowed. And then Littlestream pushed through the crowd, saw him, and her eyes shone. "Gorsetail!" She cried, rushing forward to him. They nudged heads and licked each other, purring thunderously. Goosepaw was appalled, but touched at the same time. It was obvious they loved each other. Both of them seemed to light up when they looked at one another.  
  
Ivystreak pushed through, staring at Gorsetail. She looked more surprised than angry. She was the one who finally shook her head and asked, "What are you doing here, Gorsetail?"  
  
He hesitated, and then looked at Littlestream, not answering the question. She looked up at him and licked his ear - it was still bleeding where Ivystreak had nicked him. Then she whispered something. He stiffened, then looked up at Branchstar. "Is this true?" He asked, a growl behind his words. "You were about to banish her?"  
  
Branchstar pulled back his lips in a snarl. "She is a traitor to her Clan."  
  
Gorsetail looked at her again. Then he straightened, looking up at the tabby leader. "Not if her mate is a ThunderClan warrior as well."  
  
At first Goosepaw didn't realize what he was saying. _Is he saying that she's not really his mate?_ Then Gingerpelt gasped softly beside him, and he looked up at her. "What does he mean?" He breathed.  
  
Ginerpelt's eyes were round in shock. "He's - " she began, but it was Lightfur that cut her off.  
  
The snowy-furred deputy stepped forward, frowning. "You want to join ThunderClan?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
 _"Why?"_  
  
He looked at Littlestream, and light glowed in his face. "Before now, I thought that I could live on my side of the border and Littlestream on hers, and we could still love each other. But when I tried to fight in that battle today, it made me sick. I felt like I was attacking Clanmates. Littlestream had told me about all of you. Her friends." He said the word with faint sarcasm, considering their dark looks. "I knew I couldn't stay in WindClan any longer. Not if my love was here. And where she is, my life is."  
  
"Why couldn't she have joined WindClan?" Lightfur asked.  
  
Gorsetail shook his head. "Littlestream has a sister. I have no one. I couldn't take her away from that."  
  
Lightfur looked as though she were thinking deeply. Finally Branchstar managed to speak, his face twisted in anger. "And _why_ would I let you join my Clan?" He snapped.  
  
Gorsetail looked the big tabby tom in the eye, moving close to Littlestream. "Because if you don't, you'll lose a fine warrior and a queen with kits to WindClan. Kits that will someday come against you in battle, having ThunderClan blood as an advantage. But if you _do_ let me join, you will gain another warrior, one who would serve this Clan until my death. You would lose nothing."  
  
Lightfur looked up at Branchstar. She looked like she was considering the offer. Goosepaw thought it sounded reasonable - why lose, when you could gain? Gingerpelt's face was unreadable. Silverheart looked at Littlestream, concerned, and Honeypelt and Rookflight looked at one another, silent.  
  
Then Hawkstorm lifted his head and growled, "We would lose our sense of security, with a WindClan warrior in our dens."  
  
"He could be spying for WindClan!" cried Ashstripe, looking concerned. Other warriors chimed in, chattering anxiously.  
  
"Our kits wouldn't be safe with him around!"  
  
"What kits? The only kits we'll have around here are their _half-breed_ kits."  
  
"Half ThunderClan, though."  
  
"Maybe we should let him join."  
  
"And let WindClan help themselves to our prey?"  
  
"He loves Littlestream. Maybe he'll be loyal to us."  
  
"Mousedung, he betrayed _one_ Clan to come here, why not betray two?"  
  
"And where could he go if he did betray us? He and Littlestream would be exiled for sure."  
  
" _Silence!_ " Branchstar bellowed, tail lashing. The cats quieted down, looking between him and Gorsetail. Branchstar glared down at him, deep in thought.  
  
Ivystreak walked over and stood beside her sister and her mate. "Branchstar." She said softly, looking up at him. "Think of her kits. They're half ThunderClan. If you exile Littlestream, they won't have a chance."  
  
The queen's tail curled protectively around her belly, and Gorsetail licked her cheek comfortingly.  
  
Goosepaw watched his leader, claws sinking in the ground in anxiety. He found himself hoping he would accept. _Gorsetail is from another Clan, but he loves Littlestream. And I'm above Clan rivalries. Please, Branchstar. Let them stay_. He thought of his dream, the gorse curled around the stream. He remembered that, even though the thorns had forced him away, they hadn't damaged the stream. They had arched over and around it. Protecting it.  
  
Finally the big leader jerked his head in a nod. "Fine." He growled. "I accept your offer, Gorsetail. Littlestream, Ivystreak, you are free to stay."  
  
Goosepaw breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at Gingerpelt. She looked relieved, too.  
  
"Gorsetail?" Branchstar added.  
  
The warrior lifted his chin. "Yes?"  
  
"If you do _anything_ to make me suspect you of treachery, I will personally drive you from my territory." His eyes were dark with the threat.  
  
Gorsetail nodded. "I understand. Thank you."  
  
Then he, Ivystreak, and Littlestream got to their paws. They walked towards the nursery, and the warriors parted around them. Weedwhisker and Mumblefoot hissed as Gorsetail passed, and Hawkstorm glared. Ashstripe's fur bristled, and Honeypelt looked away. So did Moonpaw.  
  
Then the three cats vanished inside the nursery, and the meeting broke up amidst uneasy silence.


	27. Chapter 27

Goosepaw and Gingerpelt sprinted across the moors. Their paws crunched into the snow as they ran, on their way to the Moonstone.  
  
It was a clear, chilly night, and the stars were scattered across the heavens like specks of snow. The half-moon looked down at them like an eye. The night seemed even brighter than usual, since the snow on the ground shone like the Moonstone. Goosepaw's breath plumed in misty clouds on the air. He fluffed up his fur against the cold, blowing mist through his whiskers. "It's awfully cold tonight." He murmured.  
  
Gingerpelt looked up at the sky, her eyes bright. "At least it's clear."  
  
"Yes."  
  
They hurried through the snow. It formed chunks of ice in his belly fur, and he shivered. "WindClan has it lucky." He said through chattering teeth, smiling slightly. "They don't have to travel as far as we do to get to the Moonstone!"  
  
Gingerpelt laughed too, but there was a bit of an edge to it. They hadn't seen Fernflight on their way, nor had they run into any WindClan cats. But tensions were very high between the Clans…especially after the gathering.  
  
The day after the meeting where Littlestream's secret had come out, Branchstar had eased the tensions by way of a ceremony. He had climbed back to the top of Highrock, and called on Adderpaw, Tawnypaw, and Moonpaw. Goosepaw closed his eyes, remembering the moment with a smile.  
  
*  
  
Branchstar stood on the Highrock and asked the apprentices to stand forward. "I have spoken with your mentors, and I watched your valiant actions in the battle against WindClan. I have decided that you are all more than ready to become warriors. Adderpaw, Tawnypaw, and Moonpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your own life?"  
  
When he had said these words, he had looked at Gorsetail and Littlestream. He had let the tom join his Clan, but he still didn't trust him. Gorsetail had returned his look, lifting his chin proudly.  
  
But then Adderpaw, Tawnypaw, and Moonpaw had declared strongly, "I do."  
  
"Then by the powers of StarClan," said Branchstar, "I give you your warrior names. Adderpaw, you shall be called Adderfang. Tawnypaw, you shall be called Tawnyspots. And Moonpaw, you shall be named Moonflower. StarClan honors your courage and strength, and your loyalty to your Clan."  
  
"Adderfang! Tawnyspots! Moonflower!" chanted the cats of ThunderClan. Goosepaw had cheered as proudly as the rest for his sister and his friends. He was a little sad that he still hadn't gotten a full name, but he would wait. He was pretty sure that Gingerpelt would name him when she was ready. For now, he had cheered on his sister, as she stood tall and proud before the Highrock. "Adderfang! Tawnyspots! Moonflower!"  
  
*  
  
"Goosepaw!"  
  
"Huh?" He looked up, shaking his head. "Sorry, what was that Gingerpelt?"  
  
She looked at him, trying to read him. "What are you thinking about?"  
  
He looked at his paws drumming against the snow. "Just…everything's that's happened of late. You know. Littlestream and Gorsetail. Moonflower. What happened at the gathering."  
  
His mentor turned her gaze forward again. "What happened at the gathering is not our fault, Goosepaw."  
  
"It's _mine_ , in a way." He frowned. "I was the one who revealed Littlestream's secret."  
  
"StarClan _wanted_ you to tell Branchstar and I. That's why they sent the dream."  
  
"I know."  
  
A few days after the battle was the full moon. Goosepaw had gone as well. Gorsetail hadn't been allowed to come, of course, and neither had Ivystreak. Goosepaw had walked with his sister Moonflower. He had avoided the WindClan cats, who had watched the ThunderClan cats with anger in their gaze. Whispers flew between all the other Clans, whispers about ThunderClan, and Gorsetail. The story had obviously come out, but no one addressed it out loud.  
  
Ashstar spoke first, saying that ShadowClan had a new warrior, Cedarshade. Goosepaw recognized him from meeting at another gathering, back when he was first suspecting Gorsetail. The dark gray warrior had looked around proudly as the Clans cheered his new name. Along with new kits born, Ashstar had no other news, and the small gray leader stepped back.  
  
Then Hailstar had spoken for RiverClan. He announced that Twolegs had been unusually active for this time of year, and that a few new kits had been born. One of the older warriors, Thickfoot, had died of old age, as well as Dapplestep. Goosepaw was saddened by that. It left Milkfur as the full medicine cat - the cream tom had been sitting near the Greatrock, his head held high. He had gotten his full healer name a few moons ago.  
  
After the leader of RiverClan stepped back, Branchstar stepped up on the Greatrock. He announced that they would be defending their borders even stronger against threat of prey-stealers - WindClan had hissed at that. He reported that Threestep and Sweetbriar had died as well, which brought murmurs of condolences from RiverClan and ShadowClan. WindClan said nothing. When he announced Moonflower, Adderfang and Tawnyspots as new warriors, the other Clans had congratulated them - except WindClan.  
  
Then Narrowstar had stepped up. His pelt was bristling. He said that his warriors had been attacked by ThunderClan, and soundly beaten. "They should know better than to start such a pointless battle." The WindClan leader had said.  
  
" _What!?_ " Branchstar had snarled, the ThunderClan cats echoing his outrage. "It was _you_ who were stealing our prey!"  
  
Narrowstar had curled his lip. "If ThunderClan cannot defend their food, then it would be better used by my warriors."  
  
Branchstar's claws had unsheathed, and alarm had leapt into the air. "We did defend our territory, but your spineless, _murderous_ warriors killed Threestep and Sweetbriar!"  
  
"We did nothing but defend ourselves. Your warriors were too _weak_ to - " Narrowstar didn't get any farther than that, because Branchstar had leaped at him with a snarl, knocking him off of the Greatrock and slamming him into the ground.  
  
Immediately the cats had cried out in shock and panic, and the medicine cats had looked up at the sky. "Stop!" Gingerpelt had cried, rushing over to the two leaders about to fight. "Look at the sky!"  
  
A dark storm was rolling in, shadowing the moon.  
  
Needless to say, the gathering had ended shortly after that, and not on a good note.  
  
In the present, shaken out of his thoughts, Goosepaw waited beside Gingerpelt at the edge of the Thunderpath. A monster roared past, and then they sprinted across. Goosepaw was much more used to it now than his first time going to the Moonstone. The path to this place was almost as familiar as his own territory by now.  
  
They topped the ridge and padded down, spotting the gleam of a cat's fur over by the dark hole of Mothermouth. Goosepaw shook off his thoughts. Now was the time to be in the _now_ , to speak with the other medicine cats and share tongues with StarClan.  
  
He bounded past Gingerpelt. Only one cat was here so far. "Hello, Milkfur!" He called cheerfully.  
  
Milkfur nodded to him, smiling slightly. "Hello, Goosepaw."  
  
"How's it been?" Goosepaw slowed, sitting down. "I mean, since Dapplestep…"  
  
Milkfur took a deep breath and nodded. "It's been alright. I miss him. He was a great medicine cat; I just hope I can live up to him."  
  
"You will. He taught you well."  
  
Milkfur blinked gratefully.  
  
Soon Sagewhisker arrived, alone, reporting that Cloudfall was ill. "He'll be back on his paws soon." She had said with a smile. "It's just a bug he gets from time to time."  
  
Goosepaw had nodded. They were just waiting for WindClan, now.  
  
He looked up at the ridge, pricking his ears as he heard noises. Then he spotted Fernflight's bright tortoiseshell and white pelt coming over the ridge. To his surprise, a second cat moved over the ridge with her. The cat was bigger than her, a tom, with dark brown fur. _Hawkpaw?_ Goosepaw thought in dismay. _What is_ he _doing here?_  
  
Fernflight padded up to them, her face mild. Hawkpaw looked around distrustfully as he walked close to her. As they approached, Fernflight dipped her head. "Hello, everyone." She blinked, looking at Sagewhisker. "Where's Cloudfall?"  
  
"Sick." She replied. She looked puzzled, like the rest of them. "Who is this?" She asked, looking at the dark brown tom.  
  
Hawkpaw lifted his head, glaring at her. "My name is Hawkheart."  
  
 _So he's a warrior now_. Goosepaw thought. He grimaced. "What are you doing here? This is a _medicine cat_ meeting."  
  
Hawkheart looked like he was about to snap something, but Fernflight stepped in front of him. "Hawkheart is a medicine cat." She said bluntly.  
  
Goosepaw's eyes bulged. "What?"  
  
The big tom scowled. "Yeah, I am."  
  
"I thought you were training to be a warrior. And you have a warrior name." Gingerpelt pointed out. She sounded curious, and she glanced at Goosepaw, warning him to keep a civil tongue.  
  
Fernflight closed her eyes, giving her paw a few calm licks. "Hawkheart had his warrior ceremony a quarter moon ago." She said, opening her eyes. "Along with Redclaw and Dawnstripe. But the next dawn, I received a sign. A hawk feather came down out of the sky, and landed before me. When I looked up, I saw Hawkheart sitting vigil at the edge of camp, the sun coming up behind him. His pelt shone, and I knew that StarClan was saying he was to be my apprentice."  
  
Goosepaw looked at Hawkheart. He was still scowling, but he nodded. "It's true. While I was keeping vigil, I thought I heard something, and I saw a warrior. He streaked away before I could catch him, but I thought he said to me, 'your path is not this one.' Then when Fernflight told me what she had seen, I knew that this was my path." He didn't sound very happy about it.  
  
Milkfur stepped forward, smiling. "Well, congratulations then, Hawkheart. My name is Milkfur. I'm RiverClan's medicine cat."  
  
"And I'm Sagewhisker." Said the white she-cat, dipping her head. "You'll meet my mentor, Cloudfall, at the next half-moon meeting."  
  
Gingerpelt stepped forward as well. "I'm Gingerpelt. And this is my apprentice, Goosepaw."  
  
Hawkheart's eyes narrowed. "We've met."  
  
Goosepaw jerked his head in a nod, and Gingerpelt looked surprised. But she shrugged.  
  
As they got to their paws and started into Mothermouth, Goosepaw tried to stay as far away from Hawkheart as possible. _That battle-hungry tom as a medicine cat…I can't believe it. StarClan must be crazy_! He grimaced, then is ears drooped guiltily. _Well…okay, they're not. But still…Hawkheart_? He shook his head.  
  
The darkness was all around him, but he didn't feel threatened by it anymore. It felt comforting. He smiled to himself as the tunnel opened up, and then the Moonstone burst into life. He glanced over at Hawkheart, grinning at the shock and amazement in the tom's eyes. The fiery light of the Moonstone bathed the stone walls and cast the medicine cats in silver.  
  
Gingerpelt waved her tail, asking for the other cats to wait. They sat down, and Goosepaw looked at her, confused. She smiled at him. "Before we share tongues with StarClan," she meowed, "There's a ceremony that I must perform. Goosepaw has been learning the ways of the medicine cat for many moons now. He has learned much and done well, and I have decided it is time for him to gain his full name."  
  
A thrill as bright as the Moonstone ran up Goosepaw's spine. His breath misted before his face, and through the mist he could see Gingerpelt's green eyes glowing.  
  
She turned her gaze skyward, towards the stars they could glimpse. "I, Gingerpelt, medicine cat of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained long to learn and understand the ways of healing and the ways of the stars. With your help, he will serve his Clan for many moons to come."  
  
Gingerpelt looked at him now, and he stood tall. "Goosepaw," she said, "Do you promise to uphold the way of a medicine cat, to be loyal to the warrior code and to your ancestors, and to heal all cats who need your help, even at the cost of your own life?"  
  
His voice echoed around the cavern, filling with the light of the Moonstone. "I do."  
  
She smiled at him, and nodded. "Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Goosepaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as…Goosefeather. StarClan honors your strength in the face of trial, and your compassion in times of grief."  
  
 _Goosefeather._ The gray tom's pale blue eyes shone. _I am Goosefeather_. "Thank you, Gingerpelt." He breathed.  
  
She inclined her head, and Sagewhisker and Milkfur chanted, "Goosefeather, Goosefeather!" Just as if he were a warrior. He felt full of light and starshine. Then the medicine cats turned and lay before the Moonstone. Fernflight lay down and Hawkheart copied her. Goosefeather lay down, savoring his new name and the honor it meant, and pressed his nose to the stone.  
  
Ice and starlight flooded his being, and he was plunged into dreaming.  
  
He was in StarClan's hunting grounds now, in a great forest. He walked through trees with shining bark, waving his tail in joy. Then he realized he wasn't alone - another cat was walking beside him, matching him step for step. A cat with a shimmering StarClan pelt.  
  
He couldn't tell who they were yet. Their identity seemed to hover, just beyond realization. The mysterious cat looked at him, blinking blue eyes, and meowed, "Let us hunt, Goosefeather."  
  
Goosefeather nodded. The StarClan cat took off running, and he had to hurry to catch up. They raced through the trees. Then he realized that they were chasing a rabbit. It darted this way and that, but he and the StarClan warrior kept right behind it. Never had Goosefeather felt so strong. He pounded his legs into the dirt and sprang, claws outstretched, but the rabbit narrowly evaded them. Then, as it swerved to avoid him, the warrior of StarClan darted out and seized it by the throat.  
  
Goosefeather slowed, smiling. He wasn't out of breath. "Good catch!" He mewed to the warrior.  
  
The warrior set the rabbit down. He blinked his blue eyes again, smiling. Then, suddenly, Goosefeather recognized him, and he gasped. "Is it you?"  
  
The tom inclined his head and purred a deep chuckle. "Yes, Goosefeather."  
  
"Rockpelt!"  
  
The gray tom sprang forward, nuzzling his father. Rockpelt nuzzled him back, purring thunderously. "It's good to see you, Goosefeather."  
  
"It's good to see you too, Rockpelt." He purred. He backed away, looking up with shining eyes. "I'm a full medicine cat now! And Moonflower's a warrior. She's beautiful, you know, and so is Silverheart."  
  
Rockpelt nodded, smiling. "I know. I'm proud of you, all of you. I told you that once. I will always mean it."  
  
"Thank you, Rockpelt."  
  
"Goosefeather," Rockpelt said, and his voice became different, the voice of many cats. Countless stars shone in his eyes. "StarClan has guided you on the path you have taken. But you must remember to stay on that path. You must be loyal to the gifts you have been given."  
  
Goosefeather nodded energetically. "I will, Rockpelt, I promise!"  
  
His father's face was suddenly somber. "Be wary, Goosefeather. Your heart will want to lead you in another path. A much harder one. The path you walk now is in the light of the stars. The other path will be lined with stones and filled with darkness."  
  
Goosefeather's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?" But inside, he felt something tightening, and he thought of a pretty tortoiseshell face with deep green eyes.  
  
"Be loyal to your gifts, Goosefeather. Stay in the path StarClan had given you."  
  
"I will, Rockpelt." He said, pushing away the image in his mind's eye. "I will."  
  
Rockpelt blinked in approval, and the dream melted away into darkness.


	28. Chapter 28

Gingerpelt hovered over Littlestream. The white she-cat convulsed, moaning, and Goosefeather licked her ears, trying to calm her. "It's alright, Littlestream." He meowed gently. "It'll be over soon."  
  
His mentor looked over, and nodded. "Alright, one's coming now. Ready? Push!"  
  
The queen went rigid, gasped, and a wet bundle of fur plopped into the nest. Goosefeather scooped it up, licking it vigorously. As its fur became dry and fluffy under his tongue, it let out a long mewl.  
  
Littlesteam relaxed at the sound, and she sighed deeply. Goosefeather looked at her, and then at Gingerpelt. "Is that it? Only one? That's unusual."  
  
"But not unheard of." Gingerpelt gently picked up the one kit and set it beside its mother. "It's a tom, Littlestream. A handsome little tom."  
  
Littlestream purred in joy, leaning over and nuzzling her son. His mewls cut off as he latched onto her belly. Goosefeather couldn't help but smile. He was an energetic little scrap with gray tabby fur. _Like his father._  
  
Gorsetail stuck his head inside. "May I come in now?" He asked anxiously. Gingerpelt nodded, and the tom squeezed inside, lying down beside Littlestream and purring.  
  
"Look, Gorsetail." She meowed. "He has your fur! And look at his build - he'll be lean and fast, just like you."  
  
Gingerpelt padded outside, dipping her head to them, but Goosefeather hung back.  
  
"Yes." Gorsetail said, smiling. "But that fur's too thick to be mine, and that tail. That's ThunderClan in him."  
  
"He's got WindClan in him, too. The best of the moors and the forests." She licked his cheek. "And that's why I want to name him Windkit."  
  
 _Windkit?_ Goosefeather stiffened, then turned and left. As he ducked outside, he heard Gorsetail reply hesitantly, "If that's what you want, love."  
  
"It is."  
  
"Then it's a wonderful name."  
  
Goosefeather sighed, padding over to the medicine cat's den. He trotted inside the cleft in the rock. It was starting to drizzle outside, and he shook specks of water from his coat. Newleaf had come at last, but it was proving to be a stormy newleaf.  
  
Gingerpelt looked up at him. "Try not to get water on the herbs, Goosefeather."  
  
"I know." He sat down, licking his shoulder.  
  
His ginger mentor lay down with a yawn. "We were up with her most of the night…I'm exhausted."  
  
"Me too." He padded over, stepping into his nest. Without thinking he looked over at the nest where Larksong had been - but of course, it was empty. His ears drooped slightly. Her leg had been pronounced fully recovered a few days ago, and she was back to her warrior duties. He missed spending time with her. He yawned, but he didn't lay down. "You take a rest, Gingerpelt, I'll stay awake a little while longer. You know, just in case."  
  
She lay her head against the edge of her nest. "So did Littlestream and Gorsetail name the new little one?"  
  
Goosefeather grimaced, flicking a scrap of moss off his tail. "Yes. Littlestream insisted they name him Windkit."  
  
Gingerpelt's eyes widened. " _Wind_ kit?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
She shook her head. "That's certainly a statement…naming cats after the Clans is frowned against, out of respect to the first leaders, but it's not a direct rule…"  
  
"I guess she decided that naming a cat after WindClan was only forbidden _in_ WindClan. We certainly wouldn't name a kit Thunderkit."  
  
Gingerpelt shook her head again, but she was smiling slightly. "I doubt anyone will forget his unconventional heritage now."  
  
Goosefeather looked off outside, ears pricking. _Is that Larksong I hear?_ "Oh, I think they will." He mumbled distractedly. "It's too awkward to talk about now, for both us and WindClan. Branchstar letting Gorsetail stay, WindClan not fighting for him or the new kit…I think cats will just avoid talking about it, and it'll fade into the mists with time."  
  
Outside the medicine cat's den, he spotted a hunting patrol returning. Pineclaw was leading it, with Stonepaw close behind him. Both of them carried large pieces of prey, and Goosefeather's belly rumbled hungrily. Then Moonflower padded after them, carrying a thrush, and then Mumblefoot and Larksong followed in as well. Larksong carried two mice by their tails, and Mumblefoot held a shrew. As they set their catches on the fresh-kill pile, Mumblefoot started talking animatedly to Larksong, and she laughed. Goosefeather watched them talking for a moment, twitching his tail.  
  
"Goosefeather?"  
  
"Hm?" He twisted around.  
  
Gingerpelt was sitting up, and her brow was furrowed. "I asked you something. Is everything alright?"  
  
He flushed, smiling. "No, no, it's fine, Gingerpelt. Everything's fine."  
  
She looked past him, towards the fresh-kill pile. She frowned, and got to her paws, padding over to Goosefeather. "Thinking about Larksong?"  
  
He shrank slightly under her gaze, but he shrugged, still smiling. "Yeah, I guess. I mean, while she was in here, she and I became good friends. I just miss having a friend more my own age to talk to."  
  
Gingerpelt was silent, staring at him for a moment. She licked her paw and rubbed her nose, thinking. Then her face softened. "Goosefeather…of course you can be friends with Larksong, but…" She hesitated, and then said slowly, "Don't let it…become more."  
  
"What do you mean?" He asked, even though he knew exactly what she meant. His face felt hot.  
  
"You're a medicine cat, Goosefeather. That means you have a special connection to StarClan, and to your own Clan. You need to love and serve all cats equally. You can't…you can't have mate."  
  
"I know that. Everyone knows that." But he looked away.  
  
She touched his shoulder with her tail, smiling kindly. "I know you know. But I'm just worried about you, Goosefeather."  
  
He looked back at her, and he smiled. "Thanks, Gingerpelt."  
  
The ginger medicine cat nodded and padded back over to her nest, settling down in it. Goosefeather watched her curl up, then he walked outside.  
  
The rain bounced off his ears and twitched his whiskers. His belly grumbled again, and he walked over to the fresh-kill pile. Mumblefoot and Larksong were still there, discussing their hunting techniques from the patrol earlier that day. "So, you see, I let that shrew run right into my claws by cleverly changing my initial leap!" Mumblefoot said.  
  
Larksong laughed. "Looked to me more like you missed, and the panicked thing made a wrong turn."  
  
"You missed that thrush on your first pounce," he pointed out with a grin.  
  
She winked. "That was skill, Mumblefoot. Pure skill. I scared it off the root and caught it in the air. I -" she stopped, looking up and smiling brightly as Goosefeather approached. "Hi, Goosefeather!"  
  
"Hi, Larksong." He meowed cheerfully. He nodded to Mumblefoot, but the other tom glared at him. "How was hunting today?"  
  
"Great." She leaned down, stretching out her front paws. Goosefeather liked the way the raindrops sparkled on her dappled coat. "I caught that thrush over there."  
  
He looked at the plump bird and smiled. "It's a great catch. I bet Bigtail and Mosswing would love it." A quarter-moon ago, Bigtail and Mosswing had retired to the elder's den together.  
  
Larksong nudged Mumblefoot. "Hey, and I bet Leafclaw would like your shrew." The scruffy brown tom shrugged.  
  
"Hey, Mumblefoot!" Weedwhisker trotted over, Swiftpaw bouncing around his heels. "Lightfur wanted you to come on the sun-high patrol with Swiftpaw, Silverheart, Adderfang and I."  
  
"We're going to see the ShadowClan border!" chirped the apprentice, eyes shining.  
  
"Oh." Mumblefoot got to his paws, and he gave Larksong's cheek a quick lick. Goosefeather's hackles raised. "Sorry, Larksong. You can give my shrew to Leafclaw - I'll see you later, right?"  
  
She smiled, inclining her head. "Right." Mumblefoot beamed, and trotted off with his brother to patrol.  
  
Goosefeather and Larksong watched him go, and then Larksong shook her head. "He's so clingy sometimes." She laughed. "He acts as though we need to spend every minute together."  
  
Goosefeather was silent for a second. Then he asked, hesitantly, "So…you're not…you know…" He flushed.  
  
She stared at him, puzzled, and then realized what he was getting at. "Mates?" Goosefeather nodded, and she grinned. "Mumblefoot and I? No. I mean, he's a sweet tom, and I can tell he really likes me. But…I don't know…maybe I'm not ready for that yet." She shrugged.  
  
A warm wave of relief washed through Goosefeather, and without thinking, he said, "I'm glad."  
  
She gave him a funny look and he quickly added, "You know, that you're not rushing into anything."  
  
Her face softened, and she chuckled. "You just don't like Mumblefoot."  
  
"Of course I like him! The same way I like mouse bile - it's very useful, but awfully uncomfortable to be around." She laughed, and he smiled, picking up Mumblefoot's shrew. "Come on, grab your thrush and we'll take them to the elder's den."  
  
As they padded over, Larksong said around the feathers, "Speaking of mates, Littlestream had her kits today, didn't she?"  
  
He nodded. "Yeah." He said around the shrew. "Just one little tom. She named him Windkit."  
  
"Wow. I suppose it fits, though."  
  
Goosefeather smiled.  
  
They padded inside the hollow log that was the elder's den. Bigtail looked up. He and Mosswing were sharing tongues, and Leafclaw was dozing. "Here, we brought you this." Said Larksong, dropping the thrush. Goosefeather put the shrew down in front of Leafclaw.  
  
Mosswing looked up and purred. "What a fine thrush. Thank you, Larksong, and thank you, Goosefeather. Why don't you have some of it?"  
  
Goosefeather shook his head. "No, that's fine. We can get something from the rest of the pile. Newleaf has been good to us."  
  
A drop of water bounced off of Bigtail's muzzle, and he wrinkled his nose. "The rain certainly hasn't."  
  
They laughed, and Mosswing flicked them with her tail. "Go on, then, go get something to eat. I can hear your belly rumbling from here, Goosefeather. Even medicine cats need to keep their bellies full."  
  
He dipped his head. "Thanks, Mosswing." Then he and Larksong padded back outside and over to the fresh-kill-pile.  
  
Goosefeather pulled out a squirrel. "Here, this one's good. We can share it."  
  
Larksong nodded, and they settled down on the ground to eat. Goosefeather watched Larksong out of the corner of his eye, his thoughts drifting as he chewed the squirrel meat. _Larksong…she's such a great friend. She's kind, funny, pretty…of course she's pretty, everyone can see that, it's nothing unusual for me to notice…is it? She's my friend. I like to spend time with her._  
  
He took another bite and smiled at her. "You know, I've missed having you in the medicine cat den, Larksong." He meowed.  
  
"Really?" her eyes twinkled merrily. "I suppose you want me to hurt my leg again?"  
  
"No, no! Of course not. It was just nice having a friend around, you know?"  
  
She watched him for a moment, cocking her head slightly. "…You're lonely, aren't you, Goosefeather?" She asked finally.  
  
His fur felt hot, and he looked down at the squirrel. "Kind of."  
  
"You've always been on the outside. You were like that when we were young, too. And now you're a medicine cat, and you're with Gingerpelt…but you still seem alone."  
  
He looked up at her, and his pale blue eyes met her clear green ones. "I…I'm not lonely." He said quietly. "Not when you're around."  
  
She blinked. And then she grinned and nudged his head. "I'm glad we're friends, Goosefeather."  
  
He nudged her back. "I am, too."  
  
Then Larksong finished her part of the squirrel and got to her paws. "I think I'll go hunting again. The Clan could always use some more prey." Goosefeather nodded, and she padded off.  
  
He watched her go, and he smiled. He loved the way the rain lit up on her pretty dapple pelt. The shine of laughter in her green eyes. He watched her pad away, and he ate the last of the squirrel. Her scent still clung to the ground and the air around him.  
  
He thought of Rockpelt - the way he used to look at Silverheart. He remembered the way he had looked before the battle with ShadowClan, his eyes flashing dangerously as he thought of protecting her. Goosefeather looked at his paws and unsheathed the claws. Fire crackled inside of him.  
  
 _I know now. I look at Larksong the way Rockpelt looked at Silverheart. If anything hurt her, I would claw it to bits, training or no training. I'm happy when I'm around her, not happy like a sudden thing, but a happiness that feels as natural as sunshine. I'm a medicine cat - I can't take a mate - but I can't help it._  
  
He looked up, watching as Larksong's tail disappeared out the entrance tunnel.  
  
 _I love her._


End file.
